Troubled
by sincerelysnuffles
Summary: Is love a curse? Or is none at all worse? The Weasley twins enter Hogwarts for the first time, and someone else coming as well will bring secrets and unexpected events. If the love isn't mutual, do we deserve being loved at all?
1. Prologue

**D****isclaimer: As much as I wish, I do not own Harry Potter. Most characters - with the exceptions of those I've created - and places belong to the magnificent and brilliant J. K. Rowling. The plot, main character, and rest belong to me.**

**Rated: M, for strong language, themes, violence, and future chapters involving sexual content.**

**Full Summary: Is love a curse? Or is none at all worse? The Weasley twins enter Hogwarts for the first time, and someone else coming as well will bring secrets and unexpected events. The gang will face danger, Death Eaters, Dementors, Tom Riddle himself... and meet death along the way. Love, pain, frustration, curiosity, and Lee's abrupt suggestions is what this story consists of. Will Harry finally find the person that is missing from his life? Will George be able to face his fears? Could Lee seriously settle down at last? Will Alicia finally break that shell? And could Hogwarts get any more dangerous and exciting?  
>If the love isn't mutual, do we deserve being loved at all?<strong>

**Clarifications:**** Just to clarify for those who may feel confused regarding the story, it has been re-edited twice already, and I _promise you_ this is the very last. Third time's the charm, right? There were simply some pieces to the puzzle missing and I felt like I couldn't continue the story if I didn't go back and fixed things.  
><strong>**For those who have been with me since the beginning: The story's first name was _My Repeated Torture_ and Zoe's name was changed to _Emmeline Warmsley_. You will get to see why later on. I wouldn't make the changes if they weren't necessary. Besides, I truly didn't feel comfortable with how the story was going.**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

The predictable has never been enjoyable. The simplicity of it and the expected outcomes make it all less appealing. The mystery, the unknown… _that's_ what we're all looking for. It's the frustration of not being able to figure things out, of not knowing what it is about that someone that makes them so damn intriguing. Taking the risk to find out? That's what keeps us on the edge. Getting out there and exposing ourselves completely. Becoming vulnerable. Risking out sanity.

Our minds create their own perspective of things. It has its own ideas and day by day discovers that there's a whole world of possibilities to certain scenarios in life. But never are we accurate on what the unknown really is.

It may be the most obvious of things. It may be something unimaginable, something we had come to believe is _impossible._

Nothing is impossible.

Life can be limitless if we want it to be.

And then, that moment comes. The moment when it all finally comes down to finding out the truth, what things really mean, what it's been all this time. When we're a breath away from discovering something rare, so unusual and surreal that our minds need time to grasp the new concept we had grown up to believe impossible, we grow impatient and anxious. But we're still hovering over the same edge we found ourselves in at the beginning. At any given moment we could be pushed into oblivion and pretend to be ignorants once again of our hearts' true desire. It's such an overwhelming sensation that you may even let yourself go and fall on your own will because you feel that you _just can't handle it_.

The truth may horrify us as much as it can bring us the greatest of joys.

And through it all, even with the risks, we will always go for our curiosity. Because that's what we are. We are curious beings.

We will never be truly satisfied with choosing what's safe and predictable.

We **never** play it safe.

* * *

><p>The hushing of the trees nearby, the gentle whistling of the wind, and the determined footsteps of a black shadow strolling up the mountain… It seemed like the most normal thing. But looks could be deceiving. It didn't take long to reach the wanted destination, and as soon as the shadow stopped moving, wide and tall stone doors slammed open without being touched. It would've taken a hundred men's strength to push them inch apart.<p>

In this wizard's situation, not even _blinking_ was necessary.

There was no need to roam throughout the large castle. Any other person, any other wizard, would have the need to do so or cast a spell. But he felt it. He knew not a soul was floating around the place, but that was no relief. The tall windows in each of the six rooms down the hall, three on each side, made an exploding sound. Wind swirled its way inside as the broken glass was suspended in midair outside. All the chandeliers easily fell to the ground with such force a troll with a stick could've been the cause of it. The sounds that it emitted joined the disastrous symphony among the grounds caused by that single individual. Red slits cut the black apart from the pupils that glared directly to the staircase of dark stone. Those deadly eyes darted away from that one and to the next that led downstairs.

_He_ knew where they led and that's where he headed.

The dark cloak blew back as his feet darted forward. ''Right on sight,'' he sneered as he glared at the door that stood locked right where the stairs ended. He whispered, ''Typical.'' A smirk slowly stretching through that handsome face that now wore a natural scowl. His eyes darkened. With the blink of an eye, the lock flew open. He took the time to open the door by himself instead of using his magic. His black gloves pressed softly against the cold stone and revealed another large, empty room with tall shelves against the walls. He strode across the private Library and to the lonely door that stood at the far end of the stretched room, parallel to the old stone that had just slammed itself shut as he walked through the other. It was the largest and probably the oldest atrium any eyes could witness. The stoned pillars reached up to the surprisingly high ceiling and the floors were surprisingly impeccable. He watched, making his way down the stairs and desperately walking across the room.

''This is starting to get ridiculous,'' he groaned as he was not able to find the next door or pair of stairs. Out of frustration and anger, he casted a spell without the unnecessary flick of a wand or movement of his hands. ''_Specialis Revelio!'' _he roared, but nothing happened or came.

''Foolish to believe that would work.'' He concluded with an exasperated sigh. He knew that it was real ancient magic and nothing easy to have access too. With or without a wand, spoken or unspoken… it was no simple task. He paced around the room as he said this, opening drawers, moving books from side to side, almost burning his hand when touching a couple and about three times being close to have his hand bitten of…

He stopped immediately and slowly turned to look at the big, fat rectangle that was on the centre of the room's floor. ''Could it be?'' He wondered out loud, taking his right, leather glove quickly and looking up to the ceiling. ''Well, I be damned.'' He murmured softly. ''Pretentious bastards,'' he smirked at the chandelier that hung high at the top. Four dark green snakes on each side at the bottom, four silver ones on top of the spaces left from the first few, and two golden ones intertwined as they were petrified against the chord from which it all hung.

''But what is this?'' he whispered to himself, watching what brought light to the room. It was no chord after all.

It was the last snake.

The only one in black that twirled around on the same spot, hissing down at him, no light coming from its mouth like the others had. Instead, its whole anatomy was glowing in a dull fashion. He looked down and pressed his foot on the diamond floor tile of the same colour and watched as the dancing snake stretched itself all the way down until the tip of its head touched the tile. It worked as a key. He realized this when the wall behind the stairs opened and revealed a passage.

''Meaningful and creative,'' he contemplated before moving. ''Impressive.'' He smirked down at the snake, which kept on swirling, twisting and dancing on the spot. Making his way to the passage, he said, ''Let's hope for both of our sakes I find what I need'' and walked through the stone, dirt and sand. Finally, he reached a high stone wall that opened the second his hand touched it with slight pressure. The wind swirled its way around the room. The tall pillars, the walls, the floors, the big fountain in the centre of the room, the chandeliers, the windows, even the stairs... everything was ruins. He walked down the destroyed staircase wherever it was least dangerous, yet he almost fell on top of a tall shelf. He looked out the tall arches, where the walls were meant to be, and stared at the snow falling from the skies. A dim blue light came through the holes and was the only brightness of any kind inside that chamber. He walked through the broken glass, stone, and tiles, to the fountain. Or at least what was left of it.

''There is nothing here...'' he whispered aghast as he saw not one droplet of water inside it, but dirt and ash. ''**THERE IS NOTHING LEFT!**'' His roar echoed through the walls and all the way up to the castle's entrance. The thought of destroying the place and making further damage crossed his mind as he threw a stone against the floor with his now bare hands. He watched as it broke into pieces and slowly, very cautiously, his eyes met with the black and gold family crest that hung unharmed from a wall that he hadn't noticed. Mayhem came and went but it was as though that wall in specific, holding the most precious thing of the house, hung there perfectly still. The corners of his lips went downwards and his sneer only grew as he got closer to it. Something stopped him, making him stumble slightly.

A protecting charm.

A _very_ strong one.

Without missing a beat, he screamed at the top of his fresh lungs. He took stones and threw it against the invisible charm that protected the wall, only to have it bounce and fall dangerously close to him. A rather deadly and sharp stone hit him hard against the stomach after his last throw. He coughed and heavy droplets of blood ran down his chin and splashed onto the floor. ''I'll avenge my family's pride. I'll avenge my own,'' he began swearing as his weak body fell to the ground by the edge of the charm, feeling his forehead press against it. ''The Slytherin family is to be respected and feared, never to be beaten and torn to ashes by the Se... the Ser...''

Only he and one more would understand; how his body lay lifeless that night on the chamber, and then the next sunrise walk out unharmed and full of resentment.

* * *

><p>Feyden. A small town in the outskirts of Scotland. One known among the others to have the best wine and bread. The population is limited, but everyone is warm and welcoming. Children can run around without fear, mothers allow them to stay out until the sun sets, fathers can work by the woods without fear before nightfall, and the elders enjoy their time in weekly meeting by the town centre to discuss the next festivities – which were just excuses to drink wine and celebrate the hard work every other Wednesday – while they enjoyed even more of the beverage by a campfire. Feyden is the ideal town, one with very few flaws, but all fixable and liveable...<p>

Except for one.

In the furthest mountain, far away from the town, an abandoned castle sets fear among those who believe. Most think it's foolish to think that _magic_ exists and an evil witch will kill them all. In Feyden, it was, where the old belief of burning witches to rid the town of them started.

It was the coldest of winters, that day, when all town got together by the centre to celebrate another festivity.

They chose to celebrate _life_.

And life they celebrated.

There was a painfully high-pitched shriek of a little girl that came from nearby. All music and chatter died down and they all listened intently. The shriek came louder this time, followed by the strange sound of thunder in the skies above. The shriek grew louder and more desperate, causing a small commotion by the fathers and mothers, all wondering which child was causing such noise. The shriek was so close it felt to them all as if it came from voice inches apart from their ears. As though it was inside their heads. The shriek became irritating and torches were lit by the men, who silently decided to go check. The first step was taken and the fire from the campfire and torches grew violently. All men holding torches were absorbed by it and let go of the tall sticks to try and save themselves.

Only to run straight to the campfire and die turning to ash.

Chaos broke out and more shrieks came like the first, except these came from the children that watched their dying fathers all together in the middle, sounds no longer emitting from their lifeless selves. The snow began falling down more constant and violently, but instead of putting the fire out, it grew intensely more and the heat that came from it was almost unbearable. And out of the blue, without any warning, the child that had been shrieking at the beginning popped out of thin air right in front of it. Very few witnessed it, but everyone noticed the little girl's presence. Her eyes were closed, but her mouth was opened wide as the loud shriek came out with more intensity and caused the rest of the people to cover their ears and squint their eyes, still trying to keep them on the girl.

One elder woman approached her and placed her trembling hand on the girl's shoulder in a useless attempt to calm her down. Her heart stopped abruptly when the brown-haired kid turned her head and glared with eyes that alone would cause outrage. There was no brightness in them, no white around the pupils, no slits at all, no innocence that came from every other kid her age. Her eyes were full-on pitch black, and the dull and evilness that came from them made the elder clutch her hand in her chest and stumble backwards until she fell on the snowy ground while staring up at the child. The girl tilted her head mockingly and a smirk grew on her lips. She leaned down, oblivious to the screams from all the other children and the worried mothers attending them. But they wouldn't turn around. They would simply stare at the little girl that could've very easily lived in town along with them and belong, but instead caused pain all around.

The girl leaned down and crouched, her face close to the woman's. Her wicked grin disappeared and the elder could feel the life draining through her fingertips. After a long pause, a deadly voice that sounded like a hiss came from the child's lips. ''I could rid you all of misery and do it all at once,'' she started. There was a hint of sarcastic and mocking innocence in her tone, one that caused the skin in the elder to rise up violently. The threat in her words was palpable, even for those nearby. ''But that wouldn't be _fun._''

Words got caught by the elder's throat and she started choking. For some reason, for some unknown and strange reason, she knew it was the little girl that caused such great pain that overpowered her senses. Even if her hands were simply smoothing the grey hair out of her eyes, an act that could have been easily mistaken with affection at any other time. She knew it was her that caused it. ''I'll enjoy killing each one of you. _One by one_.''

The elder started trembling and blood came from her nostrils and spilled by the corners of her lips. She was choking to death and the little girl wasn't even touching her.

''I'll humour you,'' the girl said with another one of her wicked smiles as she stood up, her long hair falling by her shoulders delicately. Her porcelain skin almost shone that night, looking so close to transparency she could've been confused by the snow in her surroundings. Her small hand reached the white cloak she wore and pulled out a stick. One that, at her last seconds, the elder came to realization was a wand. ''_Avada Kedavra!_''

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

><p>He could feel his heart clenching tightly in his chest. Dumbledore had to be bluffing. He just had to. But then, as he thought more coherently, as much as he could during the situation he was in... there was no way in hell that Dumbledore would ever be joking about something of that magnitude. Remus had been sitting down at his study in the house his parents had gifted him. Part of him wondered if it was because they wanted to stay away from him as far as they could now that he was out of Hogwarts. He'd graduated with his friends three years ago already. He felt his heart tighten at the thought.<p>

His friends.

It just couldn't be.

They were too young to have to face such horrible fate.

Remus found himself flying around his flat, looking for his coat and decent shoes. If what Dumbledore had informed him through his Patronus was true... this was going to be the longest of nights. In the blink of an eye, he was standing right outside the Potter's in Godric's Hollow. His stomach twisted and his throat was a knot that stopped all air coming down to his lungs. And all of that had been knocked out of him when he saw the house in ruins... and exposed.

It was odd, he noted, how there was no sign of Dumbledore around. Was he the first to have arrived? He didn't dwell of it any further. Lily and James were inside... _Harry was inside_.

Anxiously and desperately, he ran inside and stopped abruptly at the sight before him. His lips parted and a shaky gasp escaped him. The door behind him closed due to the gentle wind swirling around. Remus couldn't even lift his eyes up from the floor. That living room, where he and James had sat while drinking some Firewhiskey with Sirius and Peter, recalling those times where they would cause the greatest mischief Hogwarts had ever had beneath its walls. Those delicious cakes Lily would bake in the kitchen days before the wedding, and even after while Harry zoomed along on a toy broomstick Sirius had gotten him as a birthday present. The cat that hated Remus' guts would hiss loudly whenever Harry would get too close to killing it. He could very clearly hear the laughter coming from his best friend as they walked into the house for the first time, James talking about how he finally got to say that it was _his _place. That it was his place and _Lily's_.

He could remember very clearly how a certain someone would giggle along with Harry as the two would roll around the wooden floor in front of the fireplace while Remus and James sat on the couch with their legs crossed, watching while roaring in laughter at Alex would then stop to raise Harry and toss him in the air. He could hear the constant reminders of love shared between Lily and James, the few times she would let him show affection in front of the others, even with that fierce blush on her cheeks out of embarrassment. He could also see, quite vividly, how James' eyes would sparkle whenever she would hold Harry in her arms or tell him how much she loved him.

As he sank down to his knees, he realized.

He would never see that sparkle in his eyes again.

''Prongs...'' he breathed miserably, his voice hoarse from how much he had been holding himself back. His trembling hand reached for his best friend's glasses that lay broken in front of his nose. Wide and blank hazel eyes staring at nothing. Something started to stream down Remus' cheeks, and it was only after he stood up reluctantly to start heading upstairs that he realized those were tears. But he had barely taken a step when the door flung open again. He turned around and was anything but surprised to see two familiar figures looking right past him with shell-shocked expressions, both filled with pain and loss. Sirius started shaking his head and his lower lip began trembling. Remus lowered his gaze, unable to watch the man he felt was his _brother_ break down before him. Alex, whose expression was sombre and disbelieving, stared at the lifeless corpse of James Potter while barely having time to breathe. She forced herself to look away and run upstairs, and just in cue, Remus went after her.

She let out a strangled sound from the depths of her throat when she saw Lily Evans lying in the roofless room, her red hair scattered around her head and her pale hand stretched by her side. A white ribbon tied neatly around her wrist and her wedding ring on the right finger. Even in death she was beautifu and delicatel. Alex didn't stop to question her thoughts and reluctantly looked up to the crib to find an oddly calm Harry staring at the two figures by the door, puzzled. ''Harry?'' she spoke softly, relief and wonder in her tone. Both shared by Remus' strange look. Before he made to move, she was already standing in front of the toddler while examining him completely. Her hand reached slowly up to his hair, moving it out of his forehead. ''Remus, come see this...'' she whispered almost hesitantly. The sandy-haired man complied and stood beside her while staring down at those wide, fearful eyes that looked from his godmother to his uncle. It looked like a freshly cut wound. But it already scarred and was impossible not to notice with how pale Harry's skin had turned from the events that took place that night. A lighting scar in his forehead. It was all he would have left of the people that had loved him most in this cruel world.

''He's alright,'' she spoke before Sirius, who had rushed upstairs anxiously, had the chance. ''He's got a scar...''

''A _scar_? What from?''

''I wasn't here, Sirius,'' she snapped intentionally, but quickly softened her tone after she spoke. Even in the situation they were in, Remus would – out of habit – give her a pointed look. Harry giggled slightly as he was so used to already. ''Maybe Albus will explain... Where is he, anyway?''

''He's on his way.'' Remus informed. He had no idea if that was true, but didn't stop to question his own judgment.

''Wait...'' Alex murmured softly, picking Harry up and cradling him in her arms. The dark-haired boy laid his tiny head against her shoulder and wrapped his small arms around her neck. Sirius looked on the verge of exploding. ''Where's Wormtail?''

''I checked his place... it was out in the open and he wasn't there.''

Remus felt the little colour left from his face drain.

''He's... he can't be... he's-''

Before he had a chance of formulating a proper sentence, Sirius interrupted. ''He wasn't there. The end. No one entered by force. He was simply not-''

''Why are Lily and James dead, Sirius?'' Alex asked softly, handing Harry over to Remus in the gentlest way possible. The two of them stopped any movement after the toddler had been changed from arms. Having known her for so long, they both knew that the softer and calmer her tone was, the angrier she got. Having heard his parents' names, Harry began sniffing and moaning while tears began forming in his eyes. Remus tried his hardest to stop this from continuing, but Alex's threatening glare directed to Sirius avoided that from happening.

''Why the hell do _you_ think they're dead? _He_ killed them, not me. So stop looking at me like that.'' He returned the same deadly glare, taking one step further into the room.

''Alexandra, calm down.'' Remus tried in vain.

''_You killed them_,'' she accused while taking another dangerous step towards him. ''You were Secret-Keeper, Black. _You_ are the reason _they're_ dead.''

''I would rather die that betray James and Lily!'' He roared, causing Harry to finally break into hysterics and sob and cry loudly on Remus' shoulder. The sound of their godson in distress caused them to pause their argument and turn immediately to Remus, who was about to calm him down but Alex took Harry in her arms much faster than either of them could. She started bouncing him gently on her hip and making soothing sounds, talking to him lovingly, and telling him she would take care of everything. It was only after Harry stopped crying so loud that she looked up and noticed how both men had walked out of the room and downstairs, leaving her alone with Harry and a lifeless Lily on the floor. She tried to look away from her corpse, but to no avail. Even Harry had slowed down into sniffing and moaning lowly at the sight of his unmoving mother sprawled on the ground.

''I can't make this better for you, Harry,'' she whispered to him while pressing her nose to his short temple. Her eyes made no movement away from Lily. ''But I do promise you that I'll take care of you no matter what happens. You'll have a good life and you'll be safe. I'll take care of everything.'' Harry calmed down slowly and his eyelids began to flutter after Alex leaned down to kiss his forehead slightly, careful not to touch the fresh lightning scar.

Almost as if summoned, she walked out of the room with him in her arms and downstairs, where Dumbledore, Hagrid, Sirius and Remus stood around James. Dumbledore looked as calm as always, but in his eyes he grew pensive and worrisome, especially after he spotted Alex descending the stairs with Harry hiding his face between her hair. Hagrid sniffed loudly and cleaned the tears that streamed down his large face. Sirius looked grim and threateningly at her, whilst Remus simply looked calm and collected.

Their eyes gave them all way.

''We need to decide Harry's fate now.'' Remus spoke first, slowly and cautiously.

Her eyes widened and she looked from face to face, tightening her grip on Harry just a little. ''Not a day has gone by since he's become an orphan and you already want to-''

''Harry is still in danger,'' Dumbledore spoke now. ''I take it we are all still in favour of doing what is best for him, even in the light of recent events... He must be taken to where he will be safest.''

''I agree completely,'' Sirius started, interrupting whatever it was that Dumbledore was going to keep on saying. ''That's exactly why he will stay-''

''With _me_,'' Alex snapped unintentionally. She had known the moment she walked out of the room upstairs what would happen. ''Harry will stay with me, end of the discussion.''

''I will not leave my godson with a murderer!''

''_You_ killed them, not _me_!''

''I would never do such thing!''

''You were Secret-Keeper, you son of a-''

''Enough!'' Remus spoke the words that almost slipped past Dumbledore's lips. ''How many times must I remind you not to argue or curse in front of him?''

Alex snapped her mouth shut instantaneously and at the same time that Sirius did. Dumbledore turned slowly to Hagrid and the two shared a knowing look. ''Hagrid, will you please be kind enough to take Harry away to his aunt?''

Her jaw almost hit the floor.

''You're bluffing.'' Sirius interjected first.

Alex held Harry even closer to her and turned to hide him from their eyes, holding him to her chest and looking at Dumbledore with wide and frightened eyes. ''No...'' she shook her head desperately. ''No, no, no. No! I will not let you! He can't go there! _No!_''

''Number 4 Privet Drive, Hagrid.'' Dumbledore continued his task, even though the pain was beyond visible in his light eyes. Hagrid hesitated, but moved closer to Alex, who looked up at him pleadingly and shook her head weakly. All the stress that she had been put under as of late, Sirius' accusations, the death of the two people she cared most for... and now this? She couldn't let them take him away. He was all she had left. Sirius had long stopped loving her and replaced that intense and loving look for an accusatory and questioning one. She had nothing left. She had no one left. No one but Harry.

And now he was about to be yanked out of her life too.

''Take my motorcycle, Hagrid,'' Sirius offered. He looked more determined and was quick to avoid the disbelieving glare Alex shot him. ''It... It'll be much faster and no one will detect you.''

He didn't have to specify for them to know just _who_ was going after him.

''No...'' Alex whispered as Hagrid and Dumbledore nodded thankfully at him. ''You can't... don't do this to me, please... don't.''

A part of her felt he was doing this as an act of vengeance. It would mean he wouldn't stay with Harry either, but seeing her suffer without him, knowing he would be safe away from her... it was enough for her to conclude that was exactly what he was doing. He didn't want Harry anywhere near her. Even if it meant sending him to the _Dursleys_.

But she felt no strength in her to fight them and knew that, whatever she did, they wouldn't let her keep Harry. She knew it wasn't safe for him to stay with her. If anything, Voldemort would check on her first. She felt drained, all hope rushing out of her body. Her eyes gazed down at James and her vision became blurry. Harry raised his head from between her hair and looked up at her with wide eyes. Feeling him move, she turned her head slowly his way and the tears streamed down her face more violently. A strangled sob escaped her and the toddler blinked confusedly. She vowed to them that she would do everything in her power to protect them. To protect him.

She promised Harry not long ago that she would do just that.

Was keeping him with her the right choice? Could she really be that selfish to risk his life because she wanted to hold onto that last string of sanity left in him for her instead of sending him to a miserable life under his insensitive aunt's care? Even if that meant he would be safe, she couldn't bring herself to let him go. He was Lily and James in one small individual. He was all she had left of them.

She couldn't let him go.

But then Harry did something that surprised even Dumbledore himself. His small hand reached up to her face and slapped softly her cheek as an attempt to hold it in his palm. She stared at him expectantly and watched as the baby reached with his other hand and did the same, slapping his tiny hand and taking a hold of her cheeks. He then moved both hands up and down, cleaning the path her tears had made from her eyes to her jaw line. Her lips parted in surprise at his actions, but the tears were still rolling down her cheeks and being cleaned away by his tiny hands. He made a strange sound with his lips, one of frustration, and slammed is forehead against hers, looking down at her eyes while squinting his tiny ones just a little bit.

He was ordering her to stop crying.

The realization hit her like a brick and she blinked up at him, trying to at least stop crying for his sake. He wanted her to stop crying. He wanted her to let him go. He was brining common sense back into her brain. And she could've sworn that he was reminding her promise she made him a few minutes ago... and he was doing all of this while being just a year old.

No one spoke during the interaction, and for that Alex was beyond grateful. Sirius' snarky remarks or Dumbledore's urging would've caused her to go back three steps form the progress little Harry had done. Reluctantly, she nodded slowly and watched as Harry nodded along. They had just agreed.

''Don't let that evil witch get to you, love,'' she whispered softly to him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Remus shifting anxiously on the spot, dying to tell her off for _foul language_ with a baby. ''I'll see you soon, alright? Don't forget me, Harry. I won't forget you.''

She pulled him into her arms one more time and baby Harry tried to wrap his arms around her neck but they were too short to meet the other halfway. Alex kissed his cheek repeatedly and then handed him to Hagrid without looking him again, knowing that if she did, she would want to pull him into her arms again and not let go. She didn't stick around to see the other two give him their goodbyes, but instead darted off to the other side of the living room and to James' study. Quill and parchment zoomed to his desk and she sat down, writing skilfully as she felt the tears forming in her eyes again.

All four of them were already by the door when she emerged again, a neat envelope in her hands. She walked past Sirius and Remus and practically ran outside to meet Hagrid before he took off. She looked down at Harry about to sleep peacefully in Hagrid's arms, wrapped around in blankets. She felt the hesitation coming from Hagrid, but he didn't move. Dumbledore placed a soothing hand on his shoulder and nodded curtly. She was allowed to have her final goodbye. But that was not why she had come to see them off. Alex turned and handed Dumbledore the envelope. ''I trust you will have her receive this.''

''What is that?'' Sirius asked, standing next to her and looking down at the envelope suspiciously.

''I will.'' Dumbledore nodded to her again. She nodded in understanding and pointedly ignored Sirius beside her. She turned to look down at Harry and couldn't bring herself to grin down at him at all. The toddle blinked up at her and gave her a look that meant nothing since he was so young, but brought on a million words to her.

''Remember me.'' She whispered to him at last.

Taking a small step back, she watched as Hagrid put on his glasses and turned on the engine that roared through the night. Without wasting any time, he zoomed up in the air with Dumbledore disapparating right after. It was a long pause before she turned to glare at Sirius and – just like that – her anger was back. She could hear Remus groan and complain out loud at their lack of sensitivity and about how blinded they were with their mutual hatred.

''You _traitor_!''

''You sound more and more like my mother every day.'' He retorted.

''Hating me? I can take that. Backing up the decision of having Harry taken away from me? Sure, I can live with that. But betraying James and Lily? I will _never_ forgive you!''

At her choice of words, Remus blinked with apprehension. The facts lining up before his eyes and he looked at Sirius in shock. Just in time before she lunged herself at him, Sirius looked at Remus apologetically, pain filling his expression as he realized his best mate was doubting him as well. He disapparated. Alex screamed in frustration and glared around as if he would suddenly pop back to where he had been standing. The realization of the events finally hit her the way she knew they would once Harry was gone. It was a long pause before she looked away from Remus and stared at the broken house next to them. As though it would save him, she rushed inside and looked down at James as if it had been the first time.

_He's dead_.

_They're both dead_.

She tried with all her might to shut that voice off in her head, but it only encouraged it to continue the painful reminder. She sank down to her knees and pulled his corpse closer to her. His head lay in her lap and his glasses fell to the ground beside them. Her chest tightened at the sight before her.

_He's dead._

Alex let out a sob she'd been holding back since the decision of taking Harry away was made. She cried and cried, cradling James' head in her arms and pressing her forehead to his. Her small body shook violently and she wailed. She mourned her best friend. She was drowning in the grief from a man that had become part of her family.

_He's gone._

She waited for a moment before raising her head, hoping with all her might, waiting for him to look up at her and hold her hand as he would. She waited for James to laugh nervously and squeeze her hand gently, to ask what was wrong, to crack a joke as he always would, to tell her to stop being so melodramatic as a useless effort to make her smile and punch his arm. And as she waited, she knew that she would've forgiven him. She knew that if he had played dead and let Dumbledore take his son away for his own safety, she would've forgiven him in a heartbeat. She would've hugged Lily with all her strength and made her swear not to do such thing ever again.

_She's dead._

She would make James explain how he managed to pull Lily along with his merciless prank. She kept on waiting, she kept on wishing... Because the thought of not having them with her any longer was unbearable. She felt herself start to crumble to pieces as time kept on passing and he didn't move, he didn't speak, he didn't smile...

_They're not coming back._

James' face had tears splashing down and it broke Alex's heart to see he didn't crunch his nose or squint his eyes, trying to avoid having the heavy droplets crash onto him. Her shaky, tender fingers moved the hair from his forehead. Her sobs and pleas came from the bottom of her chest and she could very clearly feel her heart being torn to pieces inside her. ''We have to go...'' Remus spoke softly. She hadn't noticed he walked back inside and had been sitting next to her, listen to her begging and her crying. ''Dumbledore's orders.''

Those were crucial words, but she didn't move. Hesitantly, Remus wrapped his arm strongly around her waist and pulled her up, but she held onto James with more desperation. ''Alex... Alexandra, please... don't... this is already... it's too hard, I know...we have to go, _please_.'' His voice broke and she didn't have to hear it to know that he was just as broken as she was at the moment. Only difference was that he had been able to love them both alive and she hadn't.

Her heart was filled with love for them and they weren't there to know it.

Remus managed to part her from James, but instead she buried her face in his chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding onto her as he himself began crying and trembling. Alex moved her head to look at James lying next to them. She reached out and took his cold, pale hand in hers, holding it tightly as if her life depended on it.

* * *

><p>It was early in the morning when Petunia Dursley felt her eyes fall out of her thin facial structure at the sight of her young nephew in her doorstep.<p>

_Could it be?_ She wondered after a rather long, debating moment. Vernon was still getting out of bed and Dudley was asleep. No one was around to witness the odd situation of an aunt looking down at her nephew for the first time in her life. Quickly, she took him and brought him inside, afraid someone might see her. There were two letters on the baby's blankets and a scar on his forehead. All three things made her frown. She took the letter on top first.

Her heart stopped.

She knew this handwriting. She had seen it in a declining letter she'd received many years ago. Ten, to be exact. Albus Dumbledore addressed her once again, a man that belonged to the world her sister did.

After reading the letter, though, she found unexplainable tears forming in her eyes.

Lily was dead. Her husband was murdered as well. And Harry had survived. The news seems so far from real that she read the letter at least twice more to make some sense out of it. But how? How could that be? What happened? A part of her wanted to write back and tell him to take care of the child himself, but there was a much stronger part inside of her that made her hesitate. She had always wanted to be part of that world. It was her heart's true desire. Her guilty pleasure. But no one was to know that. That grey-bearded man was the only one aware of this, the only one with enough nerve to write to her again after such _embarrassing_ request from her part and address to that small part of her that he knew wouldn't deny this. With a sigh, she glanced down at the sleeping boy, wondering what could've possibly happened. Wondering why she was the one assigned to him. Didn't he have two others?

Petunia reached down for the second letter and opened it. Her name wasn't even written in front. Nothing was. She almost screamed at the sight of the handwriting. She knew this one. She knew the contents to the letter, and that was the reason she had pressed it against her chest in despair while covering her mouth with the other. That... that_ awful_ woman had written to her with the same intention.

She was being threatened by Harry's godmother.

She was being threatened _again _on behalf of her sister.

With trembling hands, Petunia pulled the letter away from her chest and stared down at the black words.

_Petunia,_

_I won't waste my time with greetings or introductions. I know you have me memorized by_ heart_._

_Know this. If Harry is with you today, it is because there is no other choice. Don't flatter yourself too much. You are not of great importance to me or Black and you were most certainly not our first option, so you must know that this was against our will. Harry is in your hands now and you _must _protect him at all costs. If I were to find out you mistreat him, do not accept him, or leave him to die out there while knowing the great danger that follows him..._

_Know that I will kill you with my bare hands._

_You and I both know that I do keep my promises, and this one I do intend to keep._

_Lily and James are gone and Harry is all that's left of them. He's all I have left, and out of desperation, I ask you take care of him as best as you can.__Please__ don't make his life worse than it already is. I know you will, but have a heart and treat him as decently as you possibly can. He's already gone through too much for a lifetime._

_I will see him soon, and once he has a proper age and has come to know me as his_ godmother_, I will go back to my duty and he will be away from your filthy hands._

_Do _not_ forget this, Petunia. Do not forget me. But do this for Lily, because I know that under that ridiculous blouse you must be wearing and that bloody shell you call chest, there is a heart that once felt for its sister. She loved you and you should at least respect that. Protect her son and treat him as your own. Unless you have him swallowing everything in his way just like your husband._

_I will make you suffer, Petunia. I will make your husband suffer, and I will bring _hell_ to your son and you if you don't keep Harry safe._

_See you soon,** Tuney**_

* * *

><p><em><strong><strong>_**A/N: Before anything, I will let you know that this is AU. I won't specify where it will stick with the original story and where it won't. Things like - for example - in this chapter, Remus and Dumbledore are at Godric's Hollow. In the original book neither is. So yeah, now that that's clear, I hope you enjoyed this and will stick with this story! R&R :D**


	2. Confrontation

The soft creaks of the old wooden floors seemed to calm her as much as it alarmed her. The room where she sat in had once been hers as much as his. She did love him, especially now after what had happened. Now more than ever. But she knew that if she could, she would love Fred too. Maybe even more than what she had loved him. Finding out just terrified her. She couldn't do it.  
>Fred didn't knock. And she didn't have to rise up her head to know it was him. Slowly, she stopped rocking herself and pressed her cheek against her knee, staring at the dirty wall next to her, avoiding his gaze. He didn't move from where he stood, though. He didn't dare.<br>The heated argument they all had not so long ago was still palpable. She could feel the anger coming from him, the confusion that everyone pondered onto, the fear that they all shared. Including her. Especially her.

''I...'' He slowly started. His voice hoarse from all the shouting, from holding back so many sobs and instead letting out words he did not mean. She knew he hadn't meant anything he said. But the words still cut deeper into her already opened wounds. She didn't move or even let him know she was listening. But they both knew she was. ''I don't know you at all''

''You never did'' she said in a low whisper. Fred took a deep breath and his fists slowly relaxed, allowing him to sit down in the rocking chair close to where she sat on the floor. He leaned over to the edge, his eyes unable to stare at her rigid figure.

''Do you think I ever will?'' He managed to say in a whisper without his voice breaking. Fred felt his inside twist a bit further when she didn't answer right away. He had forgotten for a moment that it was she who had lied, not him. He was the victim here, not her. He didn't have to be gentle, she had to. She wasn't the one hurt, he was. He had been lied to for longer than he could recall. But for how long? He had every right to know the truth. Emmeline lifted her head slightly, only to press her chin against her knees and stare blankly to the unmade bed.

''I never hated you,'' she started saying, slowly. Gulping down every bit of dignity she had left at the moment, she spoke clearer. ''During our first year, you and George would slip a potion into my drink every once in a while. Every chance either three of us got we'd bump into each other's shoulders just to annoy the other, I enjoyed stepping on your shoes and messing George's hair just because I found it entertaining when he'd try to mess it all over again as if it would make any difference. Those mini duels we'd hold every other Friday after our Double Potions right outside of Snape's office. And all those times we'd repeatedly remind each other how much we disliked on another-''

She paused herself, realizing the corners of her lips started lifting absent-mindedly. Fred still couldn't bring himself to look at her, but he listened even though he stared down at the old rug she was sitting in, finding the velvet details suddenly fascinating. ''Do you remember that day at the train? When we all first met?'' She waited for him to nod even though she didn't look up either. ''When you thought I had purposely insulted Charlie right in front of your noses... I spent the rest of the ride with him and Tonks''

''You never told me that''

''I'm telling you now''

''What's the difference? If you never bothered to do it before, why now?'' He said, firm and somewhat irritated.

Emmeline grinned weakly but still didn't look up to him. ''If you so want to know the truth of it all, I might as well start by telling you everything you want to know''

''Everything?''

''And anything''


	3. Where sould meets body

Most wizards and witches would be thrilled to go to Hogwarts. Even Muggle parents wished they had a bit of magic in them and went to that wonderful school to learn everything and anything, just like their sons and daughters. People, taking the Weasley family as an example, felt proud to say they went, go, or will be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They would speak highly of it or anything at all that had to do with it. They would praise Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster. They'd respect that man until their last living breath. People like Molly Weasley, who so happily would take her kids every September to Platform 9 ¾ with a bright and warm smile on her face. People like Bill Weasley that when already graduated from Hogwarts, would go side-by-side with his brother Charlie, who was about to start his sixth year. People like Charlie Weasley, who thought of making his last two years the best of his life rather than make them the most nostalgic ones. People like Ron Weasley, who would go hand-in-hand with his mother and eight-year-old little sister, Ginny, to visit the Platform for what would be the fourth he could remember and still beg his mother to let him go now just like he did the very first time. People like Ginny Weasley, who still had around three years left to start and experience it all by herself, the school his brothers talked to her so much about, the school she wanted to make a home of just like her brothers and parents had.

Or people like Fred and George Weasley, who did not sleep the night before and ran with their carts and trunks the second they got to King's Cross, talking non-stop with one another about the great things they would do together once they arrived. Jokes and pranks included, of course. It was people like them that ached to go to that school.

But unfortunately, that unbelievable joy was not something everyone shared.

It was people like Emmeline Warmsley that felt sick and tired of listening to cheery people like the Weasleys go on and on about Hogwarts. People like her weren't able to see the greatness that others saw in the school. It was people like her that knew of magic, were surprisingly good at it, and practiced it daily, but never really considered Hogwarts a happy and magical place. It was with great discontent that Emmeline had to stop far from the Weasleys as one by one crossed the barrier. Fred and George had just crossed the barrier, following their brother Charlie, with the brightest and biggest of smiles. Emmeline sighed and pushed her cart, standing right next to Molly Weasley and her three children, Ginny, Ron and Bill and said, ''The flamed-hair pack all together here as always. Where's Arthur?''

The four of them turned to look at her and the only two that smiled widely at her were Bill and his mother.

''He's been quite busy with some Muggle things. This month's obsession's the television''

''Your father is not obsessed, dear, he's just very dedicated'' defended Molly.

''He's obsessed, mum'' chuckled Bill. Ginny looked up at her and tilted her head to a side and tugged on her mother's sleeve.

''Who is she?'' she whispered to her as though Emmeline wasn't there.

''And here is where I leave'' Emmeline smiled. ''It was very nice seeing you all'' She leaned up and kissed Bill's and Molly's cheeks.

''It is always a pleasure seeing you, dear'' Molly's eyes started watering slightly but before a tear rolled down, Emmeline ran towards the barrier and soon found herself in the Platform, avoiding getting emotional too. The big scarlet train in front of her and a sigh that left her lips got lost with the smoke the engine let out. It took her less than two minutes to find a compartment for herself, her trunk, and her new tawny owl, Mr. Hoot. She rested her back against the wall and raised her legs up on the seat. She watched as the train rounded the corner and houses flashed past the window. Usually, most students would feel the excitement run through them, make them smile for no apparent reason, make an unexplainable nervous sensation in the pitch of their stomach suddenly start, and make them ramble through all the journey about what House they would be in, at what time they would be able to visit Hogsmeade, when they will be able to fill their stomachs with Treacle Tart and Pumpkin Juice while playing some Wizard's Chess.

Instead of being like most students, Emmeline felt rather hollow. The corners of her lips instead of being almost near her eyes were closer to her chin. They were only soft sighs supposed to be shrieks of happiness and excitement which tarnished the window next to her head. She touched her left wrist, where a white piece of ribbon was wrapped tightly around. The letter _L_ engraved in gold in the corner of it. ''You have no idea how much I miss you...'' she whispered to herself.

''Miss who?'' someone had opened the compartment door and poked their head inside. Emmeline jumped slightly and immediately sat up letting go of her own wrist, hiding it behind her back. She looked up and a girl standing with the door now fully opened looked at her apologetically. ''Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just- you were alone so-''

''It's...all right. You didn't''

The blond girl sighed in relief and said, ''Good. I'm Katie Bell. You?'' She smiled.

''Emmeline'' she watched a frown on Katie's face and frowned herself too.

''Do you mind if I call you Emmy?'' she giggled a little bit. Emmeline shrugged and she carried on, ''Are you all alone here?''

''Not really. My owl's here too'' She glanced at Mr. Hoot.

''What I meant was if _someone _were sitting here with you, since you were talking-''

''Well, if there was...you would've seen them sitting there, wouldn't you?'' Emmeline motioned to the empty seat across from her. Katie sat there, closing the door behind her just before she did so.

''Now you're not alone'' smiled Katie.

''I didn't really mind, but-''

Emmeline turned her head and stared out the window, avoiding Katie's silent stare. ''Why are you so sad? You should be happy! Just like every single one of us! Even the seventh years are happy and it's their last year! If it were mine I would be super sad, you know. I mean...it's _Hogwarts_!'' Katie grinned widely.

''So what...'' Emmeline looked back at Katie, pressed her back once again against the wall and stretched her legs across her seat, her right hand around her left wrist.

''_So what?_ So everything! Hogwarts is the best place there is in the whole...universe! We're going to learn magic properly, learn how to control it-''

''I know what's done at Hogwarts-''

''-Learn new spells, new charms, new creatures, and so much more! I just can't wait!'' Katie continued like there hadn't been an interruption by Emmeline and kept a big dreamy smile on her lips as she looked out the window. ''Hogwarts is going to be our second home, our safe place... It'll be perfect. And the Professors! I've heard wonders of them! Especially about the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, and... Well, not so great things about all of them. People tell me Professor Snape is quite a rough bloke-''

''I heard he's the best one there's ever been'' snapped Emmeline. Katie looked taken aback.

''Where have you heard this from? Knockturn Alley? They tell me he's awful, terribly unfair, especially to Gryffindors, which is where _I_ want to be sorted in. But, who knows, right?'' shrugged Katie. Emmeline looked at her incredulously. ''We'll find it all out once we're at Hogwarts''

Emmeline opened her mouth to snap Katie out of her dreamland but barely said a vocal when the compartment's door slid open again. Two girls with dark brown hair stood right outside. One was taller than the other. The taller one had a little tan that was fading away and long straight dark brown hair that reached her waist. The other one had long brown hair and bangs that reached her eyebrows, her skin was slightly paler than the other girl, and her look was much more of an innocent one.

''There you are! We've been looking all over for you'' the taller one said.

''Yeah, we found a compartment! But...there's boys in it'' the other said, looking miserable.

''Doesn't matter!'' beamed Katie. She looked to her side and said, ''This is Emmy. She's a first year, too''

''Hello'' the taller girl said. ''Angelina Johnson''

''Alicia Spinnet'' grinned the other.

''Hi...'' Emmeline said quietly, feeling very uncomfortable by the excited and happy air that was washing away her depressive state inside the sad little compartment.

''Would you mind if we stayed here at your compartment? There are three annoying boys in the other'' Angelina rolled her eyes.

''Technically it isn't _my_ compartment, but-''

''Perfect!''

With that, the low mood in the compartment raised a surprisingly whole lot. Unfortunately for Emmeline, the 'little compartment' had somehow enlarged itself and now the four girls sat together, two in each seat, and there still was enough space for probably four more of them. The trolley had passed by and between the three other girls they bought what looked like half the trolley. Emmeline had limited herself to a couple of chocolate frogs and ate them in silence next to the window while the other three rambled excitedly, every once in a while trying to get her to talk. Emmeline groaned when Alicia shrieked as her frog jumped on her face and Angelina snatched it and ate it. Emmeline hit her head repeatedly against the window while staring at the landscape before her. The train ride to Hogwarts felt eternal so far.

And they weren't even close to reaching the school.

''Oh no, hide me!'' Angelina had suddenly said. Emmeline snapped her head up just in time to see a boy with dreadlocks slide the door open for what probably was the third time that day.

''There you are, Johnson! I've been looking all over for you! We thought you got lost looking for your friend'' said the boy, looking up to glance at all the other girls in the compartment. ''Seems like you found _them_''

''Actually, her'' Emmeline spoke pointing motioning with her head to Katie. ''She's the friend''

''I see. And you are?'' frowned the boy.

''Emmeline''

''Lee Jordan. Nice meeting you!'' he said in a sudden cheery voice, making Emmeline flinch slightly. Just before she said something else, letting a vocal escape her lips for the second time, two familiar red-haired boys appeared on Lee's sides.

''Looks like he's found them'' said the one on the right.

''Wasn't it just one?'' asked the one in the left.

''Girls multiplying now?''

''Doesn't sound good''

''Not at all''

''I didn't know there were clowns aboard'' mumbled Emmeline jokingly. No one seemed to have taking it as lightly as she had, gaining her two glares. She looked up at them and frowned. ''And you're Weasleys? To think that Molly and Arthur couldn't have done anything worse than Charlie'' she said as if it was another inside joke someone might understand, and instead of getting a big bark of laughter as she probably would've is someone had actually understood, she received two death glares from the twins and shocked expressions from the other four. Fred and George got almost as red as their hair.

''Who do you think you are to speak that way of our family?'' said Fred. She thought of apologizing, but was far too tired and irritated than to stay and do so. Instead, Emmeline stood up and walked out of the compartment, slamming both of her shoulder between Fred and Lee. Walking down the corridor, she suddenly remembered she did not know where the compartment was, but still kept on walking, trying to reach the end of the train. It was in the last wagon that out of the blue a hand snatched her inside a compartment and someone closed the door immediately, pushing her inside. She sighed in relief to see who it had been and started to clean the invisible dirt on her clothes.

''Merlin, Charlie. I could've hexed you''

''No, you couldn't have. You're not supposed to, remember?'' he grinned widely down at her and sat down across from her.

She sighed and shook her head, looking out the window. He frowned at her and leaned back on his seat. Nymphadora Tonks, who as Emmeline remembered, used to hang out with Charlie every September in the same compartment, asked, ''Something bothering you?''

''Yeah... I met Fred and George''

''Oooh how did that go?'' said Charlie, feeling rather sympathetic of her now.

''Not very well. Made a joke about Molly and Arthur's surprising ways of making children worse than you at cracking jokes'' Her lips twitched upward when Charlie started laughing hysterically. ''I didn't really say why, of course. I'm not supposed to know any of you''

''I suppose they didn't take it well'' chuckled Tonks.

''I'll probably pay for it later, if they really are worse than Charlie. Fred took it most offensive than George. Is he that fond of you? Looked like he could take on a dementor for you''

''Yeah, we're pretty close. Well, we all are. But Freddie for some reason looks up to me''

''Poor kid. He must be mad to do so'' joked Tonks.

Charlie laughed again and smiled widely at her, ''They're my little brothers, what did you expect?''

''To be honest, not even I know'' admitted Emmeline.

****... ...**... ...****... ...******

''Gryffindor. She's in Gryffindor! She is a _Gryffindor_! How is that possible?'' said Fred.

''I don't know. She looked like a Slytherin to me'' said Lee.

''She did not!'' said Katie.

''She looked like a nice girl'' said Alicia.

''Sure she did'' the twins chorused sarcastically.

The Sorting had just ended a while ago and the new Gryffindors sat at their long table with their housemates. Emmeline sat a couple of witches away from where they did and ate her Pork Chops silently next to Patricia Stimpson. Charlie sat next to his brothers, with Percy sitting across from him too. ''She isn't that bad'', he said.

''She insulted you in front of us!'' exclaimed Fred, saying it loud enough for Emmeline to listen.

''You're making it a bigger deal than what it was, Fred'' commented Alicia, who blushed when she received a glare from him.

''I bet it was some silly thing-''

''She pretty much that mum and dad make babies and each gets worse than the last!''

Fred and George shared frowns as they watched Charlie shake as he controlled his laughter. They were shocked even more when they heard a sudden erupt of laughter that came from Tonks, who sat in the Hufflepuff table and then turned to Josh Nobbs, a first year, and started patting his back as though he had been the one to say something funny. The poor buy looked bewildered. Charlie tried to cover his laughter with some coughs and then cleared his throat and said, ''And you are mad at her because of that? It's not that-''

''Charlie, come on, we have to lead these dwarfs up to bed!'' called Elizabeth Carrot from behind.

''Good timing!'' he said standing up cleaning his lips with his sleeve and rushing behind her. George glanced sideways to see Emmeline smiling down at her food and shaking her head.

* * *

><p><strong>I had enough with the short chapters, but putting it all together just didn't seem right. Every once in a while they'll pop up :) I apologize if when writing about the first couple of years at Hogwarts seem a bit lazy and just as though I'm skipping time, but I find it hard to write about it. For some reason.. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!<strong>


	4. Do you know me at all?

The first month went by faster than expected, but was as eventful as everyone knew it would be. As for partnering up in classes, Lee, Fred and George had managed to stick together as so did Katie and Angelina. Alicia was 'stuck', as Fred put it, with Emmeline. He was put in his place, though; one night after Alicia came back from the library with Emmeline deep in conversation about the essay they had been assigned by Professor Snape. Sleeping potions and all the possible side-effects, which was far too easy for both. Fred and George, who were lying on the couch in front of the fireplace, looked up to Alicia shocked. Katie was emerged in parchment while Angelina and Lee finished their essays. All three completely clueless of what was going on.

''I find it all useless, to be completely honest with you'' laughed Emmeline.

''I agree'' said Alicia.

''We could find this essay some use, George. Slipping some sleeping potions into someone's drink sounds perfect, don't you think?'' Fred sat up looking at Emmeline with a smirk on his lips.

''Sounds like something we should try soon, Fred'' George had sat up too.

Emmeline shook her head at them and mumbled, ''Pathetic'' she then turned to Alicia and said, ''Goodnight, Ali''. Emmeline walked up the stairs and into the Girls' Dormitories without saying more.

''You know, she's not that bad'' sighed Alicia as she sat down next to Katie, placing books next to her. ''Read them. It'll help you finish'' She said to her. Angelina sprang up and snatched the book from Katie.

''Oi!'' shouted Katie, snatching it back from Angelina's grasp.

''_Ali_?'' said Fred.

''I'll correct my mistake, boys. She's not bad _at all_''

Fred and George didn't push it any further. The next few days were enjoyed perfectly by all first years. Angelina's birthday arrived sooner than even she expected, but was welcomed gladly. Fred and George had somehow managed to get some food out of the kitchens while Emmeline and Alicia decorated the Common Room along with Charlie and Katie. Lee, on the other hand, spent all day writing in a long roll of parchment, which he didn't let a soul stare at. When Angelina came back from an unnecessary birthday tour around the castle with Elizabeth, all Gryffindors held a little party for her. Lee's parchment turned out to be lots of doodles and a birthday letter which Angelina didn't share with anyone but him. Fred and George almost fell off their chairs laughing when Angelina hugged Lee, thanking him. His cheeks had turned into the brightest of reds.  
>Two days later, another first year's birthday party was held, but this time it was Cedric Diggory's, a Hufflepuff. Tonks had invited both Charlie and Emmeline. Fred and George questioned Charlie the second he stepped inside the Common Room when they were back.<p>

''Why would you go with _her_?'' Fred asked repulsed.

''Because we were invited, and it was a good opportunity for her to make friends since both of you have taken care of her having none so far'' chuckled Charlie.

''She's the enemy!'' George whispered loudly.

''She hates our guts!''

''Mm-Hm?'' He raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, '' And what is it that makes you think she hates you?''

''Well-''

''Has she ever said it?''

They didn't exactly have the answer right there, but they sure did the days before Halloween. Whatever hatred they felt was transmitted to her. Emmeline couldn't stand either of them. Lee, she could manage, but Fred and George just made her want to explode right then and there. They would take advantage of any chance they had to insult each other. Fred had fired a new hex he had learned from Roger Davis, a Ravenclaw, and got into a mini duel with Emmeline down at the Dungeons. Both regretted it immediately when Professor Snape walked out of his classroom. His lesson had been interrupted by a purple jet of light that pushed a third year's cauldron to the floor. They earned detention for Halloween.

''This is all your fault, Weasley'' she mumbled to him as they walked to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which was the school joke. Professor Quirrell was just... a very unusual man.

''If your annoying self didn't exist, none of this would've happened,'' he blurted out before he could stop himself. Fred automatically stopped walking and was just about to take it back.

''I'm glad we agree in one thing,'' Emmeline had whispered, not bothering to even stop.

Fred was amazed at how easily she could act like nothing had happened the next day. He did dislike her, but even Fred was aware that his heart wasn't stone.

It was days near Halloween and the only lesson that day was Charms. They were finally going to make objects fly. Fred, Lee, and George were separated for the first time. Lee sat with Emmeline while Alicia, who by accident came to the class rather late, sat with Luke Wimborne. Lee and Emmeline were civil, unlike the twins and her. So things were... alright. Professor Flitwick perched on top of his usual pile of books and cleared his throat. ''Remember the nice and neat wrist movement we've been practicing! Swish and flick, don't forget it, swish and flick. Saying the magic words are just as important, of course''

''This is going to be fun,'' Emmeline mumbled to herself. She was looking paler than usual; there were bags under her eyes and she looked really ill. Lee hadn't noticed it until now, but didn't mention it either.

Lee frowned at her, ''What will?''

She chuckled silently and shook her head. ''You got to love Charms...''

''Go on, now, give it a try!'' Professor Flitwick said, encouraging shy Hufflepuffs. Josh Nobbs' feather actually melted right in front of him, sending a disgusting smell throughout the room. Emmeline had to hold back her laughter, not wanting to be rude. Not that she had any energy to do so, anyway.

''How come _you_ don't try it instead of laughing at the rest?'' Lee raised an eyebrow at her. Her sudden arrogance surprised him.

'I'm not laughing at anyone. Why don't you try?'' She challenged him, raising an eyebrow herself.

Lee shifted on his chair and turned to face his own feather. He cleared his throat and lifted his wand. With a gentle swish, he said, ''_Wingardium Leviosa!_'' But the feather didn't move. He frowned and sighed frustrated.

''You're forgetting the flick,'' observed Emmeline. ''Try it again''. Lee glanced sideways at her and questioned her encouragement and intentions. Without wondering any longer, he turned back to his feather and swished gently.

''_Wingardium Leviosa_'' And he flicked. His feather rose about an inch, floated for a moment, but fell back down. ''Blimey, this is hard''

''But you did it, anyway'' Emmeline grinned at him weakly.

''It's your turn'' Lee said, turning to look at her. She hesitated, but sighed, giving in.

''Fine,'' She mumbled, turning to look at her feather.

She raised her hand up and was about to swish, ''Where's your wand?'' Lee interrupted.

''Right...'' Emmeline said nervously and took her wand out from her robes. She swished lazily, whispered the spell low under her breath, and barely flicked her wand. The white feather started floating slowly but high in the air. Emmeline wasn't even looking up at it. Instead, she stared directly at Professor Flitwick, who smiled proudly at her. Lee stared at her surprised.

''How did you-''

''It's nothing, really,'' she mumbled, her feather came back down and landing smoothly in front of her. Emmeline sat back against her chair and closed her eyes, sleeping the rest of the lesson through.

She left quick enough to avoid Alicia, who was almost green of envy and pulled Lee aside after the lesson was over.

''It was her first try!''

''So? I managed to do it on my second try!''

''But- did you even look at her? For what we know, she probably didn't even say the spell correctly! Her wand was slipping and- she wasn't even paying much attention to it- she was half-asleep!''

''What's the big deal? Just because she did it faster than you did doesn't mean something's up'' He snapped unintentionally.

Neither of them brought the subject up after that. Still, Alicia couldn't get it out of her mind. The next few days, they were all drowning in potion essays, some sick of not being able to turn their match into a needle in Transfiguration, others tired of the charms that never went so well for them, all of them hating Professor Snape's guts for taking points off for no reason at all. And his detentions were something that almost all Gryffindors had. To Katie Bell's surprise, Emmeline was the one that had most detentions of all so far. She got one a day, and still had that one pending with Fred. ''I thought you said he was the best'' she had commented to her one afternoon making Emmeline look away and ignore her looking almost hollow. Katie hadn't done anything like it since then and even tried to apologize but saw her nowhere or was avoided. The only time she did see her and had the chance to speak with her was one Saturday morning that Emmeline was going back to the castle after a visit to Hagrid's and Katie had been looking at the Whomping Willow curiously.

''Emmeline Warmsley! I have been looking all over for you!'' panted Katie when she caught up with her.

''And you know my full name how?'' Emmeline raised her eyebrow but kept her gaze up to the castle.

''Professor McGonagall during the Sorting, but I like Emmy better- Anyway, that wasn't why I've been looking for you all over''

''You have?'' asked Emmeline in a sarcastic tone.

''Yes!'' insisted Katie. They walked in silence and Katie suddenly sighed exasperatedly and rounded Emmeline, saying ''I'm sorry for what I said the other day- well, not really _what_ I said, more like _how_ I said it. I guess Fred and George have been getting to my head quite a lot about what a bad person you are-''

''I'm not surprised-''

''And the many pranks they've been planning for you!'' Katie continued like there hadn't been an interruption. Emmeline started thinking it was probably something she did very often. ''They think of you as their nemesis, it's ridiculous!''

''To be honest, I don't care what they'll do or think of me. Trust me, nothing they do will get to me''

She hadn't been entirely wrong about that. But in some ways she had been. The following week she spent three days of it locked in the Girls' Dorm's bathroom after the twins had slipped a Laxative Potion in her juice one morning. The week after that she missed a whole day of classes due to the Fungiface potion that had been slipped by them. Fred hadn't been able to stop laughing after she had drank her juice and a Hair-Raising Potion went down her throat one evening. The last potion she had accidently drank had been one night she sneaked into the castle's kitchen and sipped the pumpkin juice left. What she hadn't seen was the twins that had followed her, ordered a house-elf to entertain her, and as the house-elf did so, they slipped a Wideye Potion into her drink. Emmeline stayed all night lying in her bed staring up at the roof not being able to close her eyes to sleep or feeling any exhaustion at all.

It was now Halloween and everyone at Hogwarts during the feast was a cheery and happy as ever.

Everyone except her yet again.

Emmeline's seemed hollow, her eyes were glued to the table, and she sat there motionless. It was also the one night she looked the palest and incredibly tired. Her mouth was dry and her lips were shut in a firm line. Alicia glanced at her once and looked at Katie worriedly. ''What's wrong with her?''

''Oh, I don't know, ask these two!'' Katie glared at Fred and George, who both looked up with their mouths full of food.

''Huh?''

''You're mean to her, that's what!'' said Katie, slamming down her pumpkin juice after taking a sip.

''She deserves that and so much more, Katie'' said Fred after swallowing.

''She offended Charlie-'' started George.

''And so what if she did? Not even he's taking it as personal as you two are! He's even tried to cheer her up! She's stopped drinking everything, goes around paranoid, I even heard her vomit the other night!''

''Probably dehydrated,'' said Alicia. She glanced at Emmeline and looked back at the boys. ''You should stop whatever you're doing or planning right now. She might even die if she doesn't eat or drink anything''

''Let's not exaggerate'' Lee said, clearly in the boys' side.

''You're in it too, Jordan?'' frowned Angelina.

''They're my fr-''

''It's a lesson she has to learn'' interrupted Fred. ''Mess with one Weasley, the rest will make you pay''

''You just made that up'' Katie rolled her eyes.

''What are you now, mobs?'' Alicia said sarcastically.

''A what?'' asked Lee.

''Still counts!'' said George.

The three girls looked at them incredulously and chose to drop it. Anything they said would turn invalid for some sexist reason. Nearly Headless Nick had swarmed by Emmeline and asked her if she were to go to his 497th Deathday Party. She kindly rejected and said she wasn't able to since she felt ill. Sir Nicholas, seeing that she actually did look ill, wished her good health he neither had nor needed and left. Katie, Angelina and Alicia had gone to bed early, all three of them still mad at Fred, George and Lee's inhuman ways to treat Emmeline. The three boys sat in the Common Room, which was practically empty except for Charlie, Elizabeth, and two more sixth years. Emmeline walked down the stairs from the Girls' Dormitories with a grey sweater, jeans, and some sneakers; her long light brown hair falling around her. She looked worse than she had at the feast, if possible. There were bags under her eyes; her pale skin was visible even with the little light the fireplace emitted, and her lips looked as dry as they had downstairs. Fred and George both started feeling suddenly guilty when they saw the worried look in Charlie's eyes as he watched her walk by. Elizabeth tried to go and stop her from going out. It was very late and no one was to be wandering around, but Charlie stopped her. Though he didn't stand up to stop Emmeline himself, Elizabeth did not question it.

It was when she walked out through the portrait hole that Charlie stood up and walked over to his brothers and said, ''Enough, you two. Whatever she said about mum or dad or even me doesn't matter anymore''

''It isn't only because of what she said about you, Charlie'' said George.

''It's how she talks to us-''

''-treats us-''

''-hates of us-''

''-looks at us-''

''-and you just have to look at her to instantly hate her''

''Happened to us, don't know what happened to you''

''Yeah, you all like her, but George, Lee and I see the real her. And she's isn't as nice as you all say she is''

''You bring out the worst of her, of course she isn't going to be nice to you'' Charlie looked at his little brothers and shook his head and sighed exasperatedly. ''What you're doing is not right. It certainly isn't what a Weasley would do'' said Charlie.

''Yeah, but you also are not dad'' shrugged Fred. ''Sorry, Charlie, but this is between us and Warmsley''

Charlie finally gave up and went upstairs to bed. It was an hour later that the Common Room was completely empty except for Lee and George. Fred had felt sudden exhaustion wash over him and went to bed. Part of the reason Lee and George had stayed behind was because both of them felt somewhat guilty and wanted to see when Emmeline came back. Though neither told the other this and just kept on talking about nonsense. Both boys were a yawning mess when Emmeline finally came back. All tiredness was washed away by just by glancing at her. Her eyes were puffy, her nose was light pink, her lower lip didn't stop trembling, and she held her left wrist tightly against her chest. George was the one that noticed how a necklace she hadn't had when she walked out was now around her neck. The pendant was what had called his attention; it was a teardrop aquamarine stone, but before he had a chance to take a good look at it, Emmeline looked at them alarmed and cleaned the couple of teardrops that still rolled down her cheeks and ran upstairs, closing the door behind her quietly enough not to wake anyone.

The boys downstairs exchanged guilty looks while the three girls upstairs secretly watched and listened intently to sniffs and soft shaky sobs being muffle by a sleeve.

****... ...**... ...****... ...******

No one mentioned what had happened the night before.

Emmeline had detention the next day down at the dungeons with Fred. Neither was looking forward to it neither did they try to dissimulate it. Fred followed Emmeline closed behind as they made their way downstairs. He didn't say a word. Not that he thought of anything to talk to her about unless it included an insult somewhere between the lines, anyway. Professor Snape was waiting for them with his usual cold expression. Fred looked up at him and asked impatiently, ''What are we doing, then?'', while Emmeline could hardly look up at him. Instead, she stared intently at his desk.

''Watch your attitude, Mr. Weasley'' Snape said, emphasizing every word. ''Every cauldron must be left spotless. Organize them and put them back into place. No magic'' He turned on his heel and marched to the door. He almost bumped his shoulder against Emmeline's, but avoided the collision and simply glared down at her. ''Leave no funny smells in them, Ms. Warmsley''

''Whatever you say,'' she whispered, walking over the pile of cauldrons. The door neither opened nor closed, making Emmeline turn and see both Fred's and Snape's expressions. ''Oh, er- Yes, sir''

''Are you mad?'' Fred blurted out the second Snape slammed the door closed, leaving them in the poorly dim lighted room.

''What do you care'' Emmeline mumbled, pulling out a cauldron and sitting down on the cold grey stoned floor. Fred had to blink twice when all cleaning supplies she needed flew to her side.

''How did you-''

''Please, stop talking'' She begged, sighing heavily.

''Why?'' She glared up at him. ''Sorry'' he mumbled.

Emmeline sighed and answered, nonetheless, ''I've always believed there's just no reason to explain myself... Ever''

''What if you're misunderstood?''

''I know what I mean when I say something. If I'm misunderstood, that certainly isn't my problem''

Fred looked up from his cauldron and frowned slightly. ''What is it that you hate so much about my family?'' He asked, making her look up suddenly, shocked.

''I don't hate your family''

''Right'' He said looking back down at his cauldron.

She looked at him a while longer, gaping with a frown. ''I'm serious''

''Charlie stood up for you the other night. When George and I started talking about your Christmas surprise, he actually ordered us to stop''

''He's Charlie, what did you expect?''

''That wasn't the first time. Each time he catches us plotting things against you, he makes us stop, and makes sure we actually don't harm you. When he heard I hexed you-''

''Almost hexed me''

''-he wanted to curse me himself'' He carried on as though she hadn't interrupted. ''Why is he acting like this? As if-''

''He cares?'' Emmeline blurted out without thinking, stopping her cleaning immediately and staring down at the dirty cauldron. ''Your parents were really close to mine. I met Bill and Charlie a long time ago. That's why''

Fred didn't ask anything else for the rest of the detention. They went by around fifty cauldrons and left them as clean as Professor Snape had asked them to leave them. The dungeons at night were the scariest thing. Their way up to the Common Room was really silent and tense. Fred watched Emmeline from the corner of his eye as they walked their way up the stairs, and he could've sworn he saw her quickly clean a teardrop that rolled down her cheek with her sleeves. He hesitated for a moment, not knowing if it was wise to ask her. They were reaching the Fat Lady's portrait and he chose to just go for it.

''How come we've never met before?''

Emmeline didn't even turn to look at him and simply whispered, ''Because our parents _were_ really close''. She looked up to the big portrait and took a deep breath. Saying the password low under her breath, the portrait swung open to let them in. Emmeline headed straight up to the Girl's Dorms while Fred sat down in front of the fireplace thinking about what had just happened.


	5. Questioning you

Never did Lee Jordan make fun or spoke badly of Emmeline ever again. George had mentioned it to Fred while Fred had told George about what she had said to him and both agreed to stop pulling pranks and making jokes of her, but the hatred remained intact. Emmeline acted a bit more paranoid the first two weeks after the boys started to be civil around her. She thought they had probably planned out something. She had limited herself to visit Hagrid every time she was hungry or thirsty, literally pushing the rock cakes down her throat as well as the awful cups of tea, but still she kept a smile on her face just so she wouldn't offend Hagrid. Emmeline knew just how happy it made him to see someone enjoy his cooking. She was flattered after the fourth visit when he started to be inventive and try new recipes.

The holidays had arrived and Hogwarts was emptied out with most of its students. Only Angelina, Emmeline and Luke Wimborne remained from Gryffindor. Hufflepuff had only two first years and Tonks. Slytherin had only Vicky Hoghedge while Ravenclaw had been left with four third years. Still, the Great Hall was practically empty when Christmas arrived. It was only Tonks, Angelina, and Emmeline that sat down on their house tables. Tonks had rolled her eyes at the stupid situation and laughed, walking over to sit with the two girls. Her hair up in pigtails, the left was a bright red color and the right was a dark green one. Emmeline and Angelina chuckled when they saw her and smiled as she sat down next to them.

''What could three girls possibly do having the castle almost for themselves?'' She wondered sarcastically.

''You'd be surprised,'' Emmeline said, smiling up at her.

Still, time had seemed to pass by so fast, even after terms resumed.

As term started to come to an end, George hadn't changed his way of thinking of Emmeline, but Lee had. He treated her decently, being civil around her, but the twins were a whole different thing. George had slowed down his hatred but it was still there. Fred's would probably never go away. Yet, she couldn't care less. She did not hate the twins, but disliked greatly the way they treated her. Lee's sudden change of heart made her change her ways with him too. It all seemed so unnecessary, with this being their first term and already having ''nemeses''. But what could anyone do.

The way Emmeline spoke about them, the way she slammed her shoulder against theirs when they crossed ways, the way she stepped on their foots on purpose every time she had the chance didn't really help her situation any more they did.

''Can't you spend a whole day without stepping on me?'' groaned Fred.

''Can't you spend a whole week without directing your filthy words to me?'' Emmeline glared at him.

''I would if you'd stop being such a-''

''Stop it, you two'' groaned Katie, slamming her ink-filled fists against the table. ''This essay is really long and it's for less than... what, eleven hours?''

She looked helplessly at Alicia, who nodded and said, ''Eleven hours and thirty minutes to be exact, and I barely have five feet of parchment done''

''Barely?''

''Yes, George, barely''

''How much should you have, then?''

''_We_ must have twelve feet of parchment done about the Draught of Living De- Why are you even asking? We have the same exact homework, have you not done it yet?''

''I didn't even know there was homework for tomorrow''

''That answers my question''

''Responsibility isn't a Weasley thing, Ali'' chuckled Emmeline, gaining two glares from the twins.

Things only went downhill from there on. Emmeline just couldn't keep her mouth shut about the Weasley family. Especially when it was about those two. Fred and George tried as hard as they could to find out something about _her_ family. They felt it was only fair if they did as she was too.

''Isn't this going all the way down to her level of meanness?'' Lee would ask.

''You've never been so wrong in your life'' said Fred.

''We're just trying to give her a taste of her own pumpkin juice'' said George.

''Only difference is, she got it all by herself. I wouldn't have minded being nice to her if she hadn't opened her big mouth and insult our family''

''Sure you would,'' Lee said sarcastically. ''Besides, it was only Charlie and it was only once. And he wasn't even mad at her. She's only been going off about you guys once-'' Lee tried to defend her.

''Then twice-'' George would continue.

''Third time right away-'' Fred would go on.

''I think she does it four times a day''

''That only counting when we're around. Merlin knows how many times she insults us behind our backs''

But they were so wrong. The only time she would speak of the Weasleys would be in Charlie's or Tonks's presence, and it was anything but insulting them. Even in Fred and George's presence she felt terrible about insulting them, but had no other choice, or else they'd start bothering again.

''How are you planning on finding out about her family, anyway?'' Lee asked them.

''Well, she did say her parents were close to mum and dad,'' George said.

''And the way she said the '_were_' makes it as if they're dead'' sighed Fred.

''Maybe they're not'' Lee said, sitting back against the chair. ''Maybe, for some reason, they just stopped being as close''

''The question is still the same. Why?''

The first time anyone had ever seen Charlie, Emmeline, and Tonks together were Katie and Angelina, who had seen the three of them by the lake one afternoon in April. Tonks's hair had been shining in a bright yellow among the grass as she held her stomach while choking in laughter with the other two. Charlie had been whipping tears away with his sleeve and his back against a tree while Emmeline smiled in a way that neither had ever seen before. It had been very strange, so strange they chose not to speak of it to the boys, but they did tell Alicia.

''So she hates Fred and George, insults the Weasleys in front of them, but then hangs out with their big brother, whom I may remind you was the first she spoke terribly of?'' she rose her eyebrows that night when they had told her everything.

''Sounds crazy, I know'' sighed Angelina.

''It is crazy'' said Katie. ''But that's what we saw''

''What are you guys up to?'' Emmeline popped out of nowhere, making the three girls jump and Katie let out a scream. ''Jesus, Kate, I know I'm pale but I'm no ghost''

''How long have you been standing there?'' asked Alicia curiously.

Emmeline shrugged and said, ''About... three or four seconds? Just got out of the showers'' Just as she said so, the three girls noticed how her hair was wet and she was already in her sleeping gown and sitting on her bed, which was just across from Alicia's. ''So, what you guys up to?''

''Nothing'' the three of them chorused, making her frown and say suspiciously, ''Alright...'' That night, falling asleep was the most awkward thing any of the girls had ever done in their lives. Fortunately for all of them, it only lasted that one night.

After that, the rest of the term went by smoothly.


	6. Darkness falls across the land

Green jets of light and screams were all coming back at once. A woman cradling her son while running and trying hard not to trip over the rocks and bodies of most of the villagers, a man trying to guide his wife and kids to the mountains, a whole town being burnt to ashes right before her eyes... It was all far too cruel and sadistic for anyone to even bear looking at. Let alone thinking of it every time one closes their eyes. The pleasure and guilt undistinguished among all thoughts. Not knowing which was stronger burned her insides.

''...the massacre of Feyden became one of the most important events in Magic's History. What most people are ignorant of is that all of the massacres that occurred from the beginning of time and up until today have one common factor...''

''Magic used for the wrong reasons'' George mimicked Professor Binn's words.

Professor Binn's class had started to get interesting in a surprising amount. The students had actually started to pay attention. Things didn't change so drastically, though. There were some moments were half the class ended up drooling down their chins with their foreheads against the desk. ''...you must all know of the founders of Hogwarts, I expect. I had been denied to teach the students that part of their past, but I've finally been granted that wish. It is very important you know that there has always been this secret that has come down generation to generation. A secret no one knows, a question without an answer and an answer without a question''

''That doesn't even make sense'' Angelina whispered to Katie, making Emmeline chuckle silently.

''Magic no one knows of and witches and wizards that did great things... Magical beings that were much more powerful than any other we've ever heard of... ''

''At least one roll of parchment talking nonsense? Has he gone mad?'' George threw his hands up exasperatedly while shaking his head.

''He didn't exactly order us to do a whole roll, he just suggested that it might just be the right amount we'll use for this'' clarified Alicia with her arms hugging her book against her chest.

''A bit more than one roll of parchment may just do the trick if you find what I've asked'' Fred mocked Professor Binns's voice. He rolled his eyes and said, ''It's been too long for anyone to find any information about the founders _or_ the whole Feyden thing''

''And I repeat. _He is mad!_'' said George.

''Thank Merlin he didn't ask us for all about the massacre,'' said Katie. ''It might've taken us until our seventh year to only find out the exact dates''

Fred shook his head and said, ''I'm just not doing that essay! Either about vampires, massacres, or the founders, it's too long. Besides, we have to practice for the Quidditch try-outs''

''Not even dirt will be at the bottom of the Gryffindor Hour-Glass if you boys keep going the way you are,'' said Emmeline, her back against the wall while she passed the pages of the book in her hands.

''It's Quidditch, Warmsley, I rather have a year of detention with Snape than miss the try-outs,'' said Fred. ''Oh, but wait! You already got that covered'' He grinned sarcastically at her when she glared.

''At least I don't lose as many House points as you'' she snapped.

''No, you're right. You double what I lose in a day'' he snapped right back at her. Just when they reached the Great Hall, she slammed her book shut and threw it at him, but he was fast enough to dodge it.

''It's not my fault Snape has it in for me'' said Emmeline.

''He has it in for anyone who isn't in Slytherin, Em'' sighed Angelina.

She opened her mouth to say something but a group of first years walked in with Charlie in the middle, all of them mumbling something to him at once while he listened to each one of them intently. A very pale dark haired girl finished the last mumble and then all of them ran upstairs to the dorms. Charlie sighed and looked up to the long table they were sitting in. ''What's going on, Charlie?'' Fred asked him when he sat down next to him. Charlie hesitated but sighed once again.

''Just what happened at the lake last night,'' said Charlie.

Everyone but Emmeline looked alarmed. She looked at them frowning and asked, ''What happened at the lake last night?''

''You don't know?'' he raised an eyebrow.

''She magically appeared this morning, didn't you notice?'' said Alicia without thinking. She frowned and looked at Emmeline curiously and said, ''Where were you, anyway?''

Emmeline looked down at the same table she hadn't been at the start-of-term Welcoming feast and shrugged, ''I was in a different compartment and was too tired to eat''

''I searched every comp-'' Lee said.

''So what happened last night? At the lake?'' she ignored Lee and looked intently at Charlie.

''Simon Kettletoft, a first year Ravenclaw, saw something moving under the water and told the other three on the boat he was in. A girl that was going in there moved over to the edge to see what it was and then this kid that was in there too thought it'd be pretty funny to scare her but only ended up making her jump into the water''

''She fell on the lake?'' Emmeline raised her eyebrows, surprised.

Charlie nodded and kept going, ''They pulled her right back up, but she still had the chance to see something of what really was down there''

''I didn't hear that part'' whispered Alicia.

''What did she see?'' asked George.

''Probably the Squib'' mumbled Fred.

''I don't know,'' shrugged Charlie ''All Madam Pompfrey got her to say was that she saw... dark''

''_Dark_? She saw dark?'' Angelina asked incredulously.

''Yeah,'' mumbled Charlie, who slowly looked up intently at Emmeline and then said even slower, ''She saw dark''

**... ...**... ...****... ...****

****Whatever it was that girl had seen, it alarmed the whole school. Even the portraits and ghosts whispered to each other. The staff itself tried to put a stop to this, but it only made things worst.

''She saw dark,'' Emmeline had rolled her eyes one evening back at the Common Room. ''The Lake itself is dark, obviously that's what she saw''

''I don't know... it sounds to me that it was something else'' Katie sighed.

Emmeline had been dragged by the girls down to the library, but refused to go unless the boys went there as well. Fred, George, Lee, and Emmeline sat glaring at Katie, Angelina, and Alicia as they browsed through books for their History of Magic assignment. Fred and George had managed to survive with a Muggles' Invention's book. Lee and Emmeline just sat together annoying Angelina as much as they could. She jerked her head up and threw Fred and George's book right at Lee's head. It landed in Emmeline's lap.

''Warmsley,'' Fred said in a surprised tone. ''I never thought you enjoyed what we do''

''Then you don't know me well enough, Weasley'' She smiled up at him, handing the book back to George.

''Annoying might as well be her middle name'' groaned Angelina.

Emmeline grinned widely and turned back to Fred. ''What are you doing with that, anyway?''

''Nothing'' The twins chorused.

''Who really does know you?'' Lee wondered out loud.

Emmeline shrugged, ''Dumbledore knows me best'' she said.

''I think he knows all of us best'' chuckled Katie.

''Don't let them distract you'' Alicia whispered.

''We're in the furthest corner of this library, Ali. There's no need to be all quiet'' Emmeline said.

''Shh!''

She rolled her eyes and said, ''Anyway, what have you found?''

''Just some pictures and writings that I don't really understand,'' mumbled Angelina. ''I think it's in some other language'' She sighed, about to give up.

''What is it that we're supposed to be looking for, anyway?'' Lee asked.

''_Now_ you bother to ask?'' snapped Alicia, who had her nostrils all over a book.

''At least he asks,'' Emmeline chuckled, glancing at the twins, who ripped out pages of some novel and began making paper planes.

''Salazar Slytherin is mentioned a lot here'' mumbled Katie.

''What does it say?'' Angelina asked, searching for anything to do than trying to decipher what she figured was Latin.

''Just talks about his ancestors,'' She said frowning as she kept on reading.

''He had ancestors?'' George asked.

''Of course he did'' Alicia said, glaring at him.

''I thought he was too old for that,'' Lee thought out loud.

Emmeline laughed and sat up, ''I'm done. I'll write whatever you guys find''

''Where are you going?'' asked Katie.

''I'm off to Hagrid's before it gets too late'' She said walking backwards. ''I must admit those rock cakes have grown on me''


	7. What just happened?

''Can't believe our boy's almost comin', can yeh?'' asked Hagrid.

''It's been a long time, hasn't it?'' Emmeline grinned at him sadly. ''Do you think he'll recognize me?''

''Hm...'' Hagrid paused for a moment and looked down at Fang. ''Wish I could tell yeh he will, but he was jus' a little boy. Probably don' remember his parents''

''You think so?'' she frowned, ''I mean, I know he was very young- _too_ young to-'' Fred had stepped on a twig making a sharp breaking noise. Emmeline stood up quickly and looked out the window, ''What was that?'' she whispered hurriedly to Hagrid, who had also heard it and looked at her alarmed.

''Thousands o' creatures righ' behind us in that forest; musta been one of 'em, nothin' to worry about-'' Before Hagrid had the chance Emmeline stood up and ran out of the hut and into the forest. ''Emmy!'' he shouted and stood up, grabbing a lamp from the table and, along with Fang, he walked out of the hut and into the forest. Fred took one look at the dark forest and, considering how little he could sees, he managed to see Emmeline's long brown hair bouncing into the unknown, and without thinking he ran after her.

Why he had gone after her when she left the library was something he began to wonder even more with every step he took into the forest.

Soon enough, every single curious thought of how the forest might look like turned into nothing. It was much more than he thought he was capable of taking in. His heavy panting, his footsteps and the ones he heard all around, the wind slamming the leaves and branches to the same direction Fred took; were all the sounds that surrounded him. As he ran deeper into the forest, the trees seemed to be coming down upon him. The branches getting thicker, and the wind blowing less but each time colder. He kept his focus on Emmeline's hair, which, for some odd reason, started to look darker and shorter. Fred squint his eyes and started to slow down. Each second that passed, the figure that he thought had been Emmeline ran after looked like anyone or anything but Emmeline. Fred came to a stop and let his gaze follow the dark figure up to the point of not being able to see no more. A feeling of persecution made him dart forward, regretting letting the person he had been following go. He heard galloping not so far ahead, but it only made him run faster.

Fred's foot met with an arched branch on the floor and he flew a few almost nine feet in the air. He landed on his face, dirt running up his nostrils, a loud cracking noise came from his shoulder, and a sharp pain filtrating deep into his head and still he found the strenght to mumble an 'Ow' against the ground. He tried to roll onto his side, but it only seemed to have been another one of the worst decisions he had made so far. To his most unfortunate luck, someone turned him around by the shoulder he broke and the pain was almost unbearable. A mix of relief and embarrassment washed over him when he heard Emmeline shout, ''WEASLEY!''. But confusion hit him twice as hard when he heard a loud _bang_ that crashed against whoever had turned him around and sent that person flying against a tree not so far behind Fred. He heard a gasp when the wind swirled to where Emmeline must've been standing at, everything suddenly feeling very hot-

Then it all felt as though winter had come sooner, and Fred could've sworn the branch next to him had turned into cold hard ice. The wind blew to the opposite direction and towards whoever else was there with them. Fred frowned and tried to open his eyes. There were groans and screams, but he wasn't able to recognize whose it was. He was even more confused when it had all suddenly ended. Just as fast as it had started. He opened his eyes and with confusion he looked up at Emmeline, who was already kneeling down beside him.

''Have you gone mad? You could've gotten yourself killed!'' said Emmeline as she helped him sit up.

''Me? It was you who ran all the way in here! _You_ could've gotten _yourself_ killed!'' said Fred.

''Don't be ridiculous!'' She placed her hand on top of his shoulder, but stopped herself immediately and took her wand out of her cloak. ''Don't move, I'll try and fix you-''

''NO! You'll kill me! Or get me worst! You're no healer, Warmsley! J-Just take me to Madame Po-''

''Shut up!'' she snapped at him, concentrating on the shoulder he could not see. ''What were you thinking? Or where you thinking at all? Oh, but wait a minute, do you ever really think things through?''

''Oi!''

''Don't fake to be offended, Weasley, you know you never do,'' said Emmeline.

''What happened? All those booms and bangs,'' But instead of getting an answer, she granted him silence. He looked up at her curiously. Emmeline's lips moved but no sound came out through them. Fred sighed and looked around without turning his head, fearing that she might just break his neck if he moved again. He noticed just how dark and silent the Forbidden Forest really was. He could only imagine how the creatures that lived on those ground's life could be like. He could only guess.

''Up you go,'' Emmeline broke his train of thoughts and helped him stand up, but he failed to stand correctly on both feet and stumbled. ''Easy. You were right, I'm no healer, but I made that thing on your collarbone look less terrible. Keep the thanking for later''

''I wasn't really going to thank you either way,'' Fred glared at her and watched as her weak grin turned into a deep frown and scowl. She let go of his arm and let him drop back to the ground.

''Then good luck hopping your way back to the castle, Weasley. I'm off to Hagrid's, he's probably worried''

She started walking away and Fred sighed and hopped once, falling forward once again. ''Uh, Warmsley?''

''You can't live with or without me, can you?'' She had already been by his side. Emmeline took off her scarf and wrapped it around his neck and his arm, holding it right up. ''What would you rather, Weasley; hop your way up to the castle with me helping you, or being levitated by magic without having to be near me at all?''

''Will that spell hurt in any way?''

''Unless you want it to,'' she smirked. Before Fred said anything, he was hanging upside down from his own ankle. ''Move your butt, Weasley, I don't have all night'' she joked.

''Not funny'' he turned his face and glared at her. ''What spell is this?''

''You've never heard of that jinx?'' she tilted her head to a side and he shook his head.

''Not that I know of... What's it called?''

''_Levicorpus_'' said Emmeline casually; letting the tips of her fingers linger against the trees she walked by. Fred struggled trying to turn his whole body to face her. Seeing his attempt, she helped him and turned him around with a lazy swish of her wand and a grin on her lips.

''I know I don't pay much attention, but.. they haven't taught us that yet, have they?'' asked Fred, turning curious suddenly. ''Is it advanced magic?''

''I wouldn't call _that_ advanced. But no, they haven't taught us that'' said Emmeline.

''How did you learn it then?''

She sighed and said, ''There's a life before Hogwarts, Weasley. And there's also summer and thousands of books. I get bored''

''So, you spend all your time learning things that probably not even seventh years know?'' he raised an eyebrow.

''I spend my time thinking and reading a lot, if you haven't noticed,'' she paused and her gaze lowered. ''I know a couple of things Dumbledore only dreams of finding out''

Fred's eyes widened and he whispered loudly, ''You're joking!''

''Why do I even try to joke around with you'' Emmeline rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking far ahead and moving faster.

''It's funny how much we hate each other and I don't even know your birthday''

Emmeline stayed silent, not daring to glance sideways to look at him. She only waved her wand tiredly to avoid making him crash against a few branches.

''I'm sorry, I'm just-''

''Injured. You're just injured, Weasley,'' she whispered. The rest of the way to the castle was rather silent and diligent. There was absolutely no one wandering around. It was a very unreasonable hour to be outside, so they were careful enough not to wake the whole castle. They reached the hospital wing and Fred sat gently on a soft bed with white linen sheets. Emmeline had gone to fetch Madame Pompfrey, who hadn't awoken at the sudden visit from the two of them.

She walked back inside and stood a good three foot away from the bed where Fred lay and said, ''She's looking for some potions and will be here soon'' She turned to leave, but stopped and walked closer to Fred. He looked up at her confused. The discussion they had had before coming in there seemed to him that it had affected her more than he thought it would. Sure, many of their arguments and fights affected one or the other in one way or another. But Fred noticed the gloominess that now surrounded Emmeline, who spoke in a soft tone to him, and said, ''The Winter Solstice''

Fred frowned and asked, ''What?''

''My mother never told me the exact date. Only that it was on December and it was during the coldest day of winter. The Winter Solstice. And I'm thirteen, just like you and George. May the first, isn't it?'' she asked him and Fred couldn't bring himself to nod from how surprised he was that she knew that bit about him. She grinned a bit wider, but the sadness was still noticeable, and she said, ''April's Fool was probably the best day to have you both, don't you think it convenient? Bet your mum and dad thought so too since-''

''Don't talk about my-''

''Sorry. I-I didn't mean to sound rude or anything. Not that I thought I sounded that way, but I understand... You're too used to be on the defensive when I'm around, and I rarely am on the offensive. You should keep that in mind and you'll see things differently, Weasley''

''You hate my family. That's enough reason for me to defend them, don't you think?''

''I don't hate your family. I could never hate any of you even if I wanted to'' Fred frowned up at her, confused. All this time he was so used to seeing her as the enemy. He always though Emmeline felt repulsed at the thought of a Weasley. He was absolutely sure she despised every fibre of his being. He watched her curiously as she walked back to the door, opening and moving her head slightly to the right. She glanced up at him and said, ''Goodnight, Weasley''. Madame Pompfrey entered not so long after, but even after she left, about an hour later, Fred couldn't get his mind off of what she had just said. Especially after he realized that wasn't the first night he stayed up to think about her.


	8. For reasons unknown

It was early in the morning of another 1st that a barred owl tapped viciously against a large window that provided all light in the room that the owl expected to hoot in. Inside, a girl's eyes could only see blur and her limbs tried to reach each end of the large bed she lay in. A low sound that came from her throat and the smirk that held her lips. Seeing that she was in no mood to stand up and let it in made the owl tap louder. Once the owl started to literally bang its head against the window, the girl shot a glare at it and jumped off the bed. Taking a cotton robe from a chair and putting it on, she walked over to the window, but only to stand there while trying her hair up on a bun. The owl raised its head and started making loud noises while banging its head harder against the window.

''For the love of- STOP!'' she shouted at it and opened the window and letting the owl fly inside. It landed on the bed and threw a package at her. ''What kind of owl are you? Rolling in some stranger's bed, banging head against some window...'' she shook her head at it while the owl simply buried its head among the sheets. She sighed and unrolled the parchment attached to the package.

_Dear Em,  
>I've seen him and helped him up with all he need.<br>Those Dursleys_ _kept it all from him. You can't imagine.  
>I'd tell you all about him... But I want you to see him for yourself.<br>It's incredible, looks just like them.  
>Hagrid<em>

A smile lit up her face. She was about to put it away until she noticed she hadn't unrolled it completely.

_PS: The portkey is in the package. I know you can't apparate  
>in public just yet. Feel free to name the owl, she's new and likes crackers.<br>_

The corners of her lips lowered and she glared at the owl that was rolling between the sheets. ''What are you, a dog or an owl?'' she snapped at it and threw the package on the bed, hitting the owls head and receiving a glare from him and a loud complaint. ''I'll call you Nosy'' Emmeline sighed once again and enchanted all her things to organize themselves. Nosy stood in the bed and looked around as clothes, shoes, books, and more zoomed, floated, and landed where they were meant to be. Right after she put on her flat ankle boots her trunk had closed shut with a simple _click_. A pack of crackers zoomed all the way up from the kitchen and landed on her hand. She threw it at the owls head. Without even complaining or glaring at her, Nosy ripped the pack to pieces and started eating his crackers.

''You certainly were a dog in the other life'' she shook her head at the owl and smirked. After giving her own owl, Mr. Hoot, his food and water, she waved her hand lazily. It was the room's turn to organize itself. Emmeline took a piece of parchment from her trunk and a quill along with ink and sat on the floor.

_Dear Hagrid,  
>Thank you. I'll shortly be on my way to King's Cross.<em>  
><em>I'm naming her Nosy. Where did you get her? She sure does not behave<br>like the owl she's suppoed to be.  
>Now, abut our boy. I must ask you, as usual, to be very<br>discreet when it comes to you-know-what and Harry.  
>He mustn't know just yet.<br>See you at Hogwarts,  
>Em<em>

She rolled the piece and tied it with a green piece of cloth that sat behind the lamp on the end table. Emmeline looked at Nosy, who had happily swallowed every single cracker, and tied the parchment to her leg. ''Make sure Hagrid gets it. Those crackers give me some trouble. Be careful not to shower anyone with your faeces on your way there'' she ordered her. Nosy glared at her and then flew past the window in a blink. She stared after the owl as it flew out the window and zoomed off to the sky, moving her wings flawlessly. Emmeline sighed and grinned. ''Finally'' she whispered to herself and a smile reappeared on her lips.

It was already twenty minutes past ten and still no trace of him. She had seen the Spinnets, the Johnsons, and the Bells walking through the barrier, but no signs of him. Not even the Weasleys had arrived just yet. Emmeline tapped her foot viciously against the floor, her arms crossed and her eyes flickering from her wristwatch to everywhere around her. She wondered what might've happened. She even got to the point of wondering if he had turned out as a squib! She shook the thought away and remembered it was impossible. Far from impossible. Just not an option. She thought what the Dursleys might've done to him. Maybe they didn't let him go. If that was what happened, she swore to herself she'd go there herself and drag Harry with her if she had to. Harry was meant for this. He belonged there. He should never be denied going to where he belonged by some Muggles. Especially not by the Dursleys. Her patience was coming to an end. Emmeline started to think of something.

If he didn't come by ten forty, then she'd go to Privet Drive and snatch him from his uncle and aunt's filthy hands. Emmeline was certain that she would not get into the Express without him. She would never forgive herself. Her eyes looked down at her watch for what might have been the billionth time. It was half past ten already. Ten more minutes and she would run to the Dursleys' home. Just before she made up her mind to go right then, a big man with a large mustache who had been pushing a cart stopped dead not so far from where she stood with a rather evil grin.

''Vernon,'' she snarled under her breath. Nevertheless, she sighed in relief when she saw he was not alone. An elegant thin woman by his side and a mini-Vernon held their hands by his side. ''Petunia. And that must be... Who cares'' she shrugged and rolled her eyes. She searched for Harry with her eyes. The big man blocked her view from a pair of jeans that could only be seen behind the man's thick legs. She watched as Vernon, Petunia, and their son laughed and left. Emmeline's heart jumped, twisted, twirled and fought to get out of her chest and run to little Harry. Her eyes lightened and glowed with the big bright smile she wore. It was him. Finally, after so long, she finally had the chance of seeing him. And after that moment, she'd probably even have the chance of talk to him. She watched him careful enough for him not to spot her. He had stopped a passing guard who left furious after speaking to Harry. He kept looking down at his ticket and sighing after looking from the big plastic number ten over one platform and to the number nine.

Emmeline couldn't help but laugh slightly when Harry looked desperately to the large clock over the arrivals board as if it would tell him where the platform he was looking for was. Emmeline leaned forward on her cart, her hand supporting her head as she watched Harry in amusement with a grin glued to her face. She saw Harry swung around out of the blue. Emmeline stood straight immediately and pushed her cart when she saw him push his. When he stopped, she stopped far enough for him not to notice. She was too busy examining his face, his ways of moving, his hair, his height... far too busy to notice him talking to someone. She frowned and walked closer but from the other side and leaned forward a bit and saw Molly Weasley pointing at who she guessed was Ron. She smiled when she saw little Ginny turn to look at her and wave with a cute grin. Emmeline pressed her index finger against her lips and whispered, ''Shh!'' while winking at Ginny, who put her hand on her lips and laughed silently. Emmeline watched Ginny turn just in time and wish Harry good luck. Emmeline looked at Harry immediately and watched how nervous and anxious he looked.

Harry started to walk to the barrier quickly. He started leaning into it and just as he reached to the barrier, he disappeared. He had crossed. It was when he was no longer there that Emmeline noticed she had been holding her breath. She sighed in huge relief.

''Oh, dear! What are you doing here? I thought you would be in the train long ago!'' she heard Molly call after her and looked up with the same smile she had been wearing.

''I just had to-'' she stopped herself quick enough when she saw Ron's confused frown. He was now old enough to remember every conversation his mum had with anyone, especially with a girl that was Fred and George's 'friend'. ''I forgot to wake up early enough''

''Good thing you made it in time'' smiled Molly.

''Where are Bill and Charlie?'' she asked, noticing their absence.

''I thought they'd have told you,'' admitted Molly, surprised.

''Tell me what?''

''Bill's in Africa doing some work for Gringotts and Charlie is in Romania—''

''Studying dragons, right! Bill owled me before he left and Charlie told me before leaving Hogwarts. I've had so much to do this summer I forgot'' she chuckled.

''It's alright, dear'' Molly smiled and turned to Ron and said, ''Ron, you next''

Emmeline, Molly and Ginny watched Ron cross the barrier with his eyes shut so tight he might just get a headache later.. Emmeline stood there, unable to move. Her eyes fixed on the solid barrier. Soon, probably right after she crossed it, she'd be able to see him closer, to talk to him, to see him smile, laugh, and so much more she just couldn't imagine. She looked down at her watch and laughed at her own self. It was seven minutes for the Hogwarts Express to leave. She pushed her cart effortlessly and passed the barrier, Ginny and Molly waving from where they stood.

''_Harry Potter_,'' Ginny shouted not so far from where Emmeline stood. Her things were already inside an empty compartment and she stood on the corridor, near the end of the train. She glanced to the compartment where Harry sat leaning back from the window and hesitated to knock and walk inside until—

''Em!'' Katie's loud voice came from behind, making Emmeline jump and almost scream, but her hands clasped her mouth just in time.

''Jesus, Kate! You're going to kill me one day doing that'' she whispered hurriedly.

''Why the hushing?'' she mocked Emmeline's whispering. Emmeline hit her arm playfully and chuckled. ''What you doing, anyway?''

''Nothing, I er-'' she looked down the corridor and to the compartment where Harry was. The train had started moving. She saw Ron looking through compartment with a frustrated face. Emmeline pushed Katie into the compartment where her things where; the one right next to Harry's. The door closed itself quickly and the blinds went down. Katie raised an eyebrow at her and crossed her arms while plopping down. ''What?'' asked Emmeline.

''You get weirder over summer, Em''

''Talking about summer, how was yours?''

Katie leaned back in her seat and placed her hands dramatically on her chest and her mouth, ''Did you just ask someone how their summer was? Did you just ask me?'' she mocked a gasp and slammed her hand on Emmeline's forehead. ''You must be on your deathseat!''

''I'm being nice for once in my life and that's your reaction?'' laughed Emmeline.

The door was slammed open, ''Here are my-'' Angeline stopped abruptly when she was Emmeline's bright smile and frowned. ''Merlin, Kate, what herbs did you slip her?'' Emmeline smiled up at her with her teeth showing exaggeratedly.

''Who's drugging who?'' Alicia came from behind and walked inside, sitting next to Katie. ''That answers it'' she raised her eyebrow at Emmeline and laughed.

''You should appreciate and enjoy my mood instead of criticizing it, you know'' she said as Angelina closed the door and sat down cross-legged next to her.

''You are right, but I can't help but question it'' said Katie.

''Yeah, what's up, Em? Anything we're to know?'' winked Angelina, making Alicia and Katie start laughing and Emmeline roll her eyes.

''I'm barely thirteen for what you might just be implying, Angie''

''We're turning fourteen soon, though. It's never too early, Em''

''How was your summer?'' asked Emmeline, avoiding the subject.

''Jesus, Kate, what herbs are those?'' asked Alicia with a frown.

''Screw you! I'm being nice for a change!'' laughed Emmeline.

''A very unusual one'' teased Angelina.

The girls continued their jokes and laughter and, even through the non-stop teases, Emmeline didn't stop smiling. She knew very well what made her mood change. Seeing Harry for once and for all definitely had lightened her mood. The woman from the trolley had walked by and the girls bought their sweets. Angelina had stretched her legs all the way to the other seat while Alicia did the same. Katie sat upside down and Emmeline ate with her back against the wall, her legs crossed and her sweets going down her throat without her having to move a single finger.

''Either that's one suicidal frog or you've put an enchantment to it,'' said Angelina, curiously watching the chocolate frog jumping to Emmeline's mouth and being crushed to pieces.

''I didn't move'' mumbled Emmeline as she ate.

''I never knew you did wandless magic,'' frowned Alicia. ''Is it hard?''

Emmeline swallowed and sighed. ''No, it's anything but hard. I've known for... as long as I can remember. It's no big deal'' she shrugged.

''I know very few wizards that practice it; all of them close to Dumbledore's age... you're the youngest I've known of''

Emmeline rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what Alicia wanted and said, ''Want me to teach you?''

''YES!'' shouted Alicia. Angelina snorted and Katie spit a bean to the floor.

''Bleaaargh! Troll Bogey,'' she said, cleaning her mouth with her sweater's sleeve.

''That's why I never eat those. I have the worst luck and would probably get vomit or farm dirt'' commented Angelina.

''That'd be fun to watch,'' smirked Emmeline. Angelina nudged her rib with her elbow and they laughed. They had a fun time daring each other to try the funny-coloured ones and making the chocolate frogs dance all the way to their mouths. Katie and Alicia tried two beans while Emmeline tried three. When it was Angelina's turn she handed the box back to Katie with a disgusted face and no beans on her hands.

''That's not fair! You have to eat at least two,'' complained Alicia.

''What are you whining about? You got almond and soap!''

''Soap may be clean, but it awful, you know''

''Oh, for Merlin's sake! I got goblin piss, stop complaining and eat!'' said Katie.

''I don't know about you, but I got lucky with strawberry and cinnamon'' smirked Emmeline.

''See? It's not fair, she got the best ones! I'm left with the worst!'' Angelina crossed her arms and scowled at Emmeline.

''Hey, I had spinach too!''

''Big deal, there's probably dirty sock and tripe left and I don't want to eat that''

''Oh, but you will,'' Emmeline's smirk grew bigger.

''No, Em, don't you dare—''

It had been too late. Two beans went from the box the Angelina's mouth. She coughed and tried spit it but instead started chewing with a repulsed expression. Alicia was looking at her amazed at how simple wandless magic looked while Katie threw her head back, laughing. Once Angelina swallowed she shivered and glared at Emmeline.

''Did you know that Lemon and Ketchup aren't good friends?''

The girls roared with laughter while Angelina muttered how they should sell drinks in the trolley. Just when they started to eat again, the compartment door slid open and a round-faced first year came in looking tearful and sad. ''Sorry t-to interrupt, but have you seen a toad at all?''

Emmeline looked up at him curiously and said nothing, but simply gaped, worried. ''Sorry, but no, we haven't'' she heard Katie answer him.

The boy sighed deeply and said, ''Well, thanks. If you see him... um'' and he left abruptly.

''Poor kid, looks destroyed by his missing toad'' said Angelina.

''It's been a while since I've heard of anyone with a toad'' said Alicia.

''Talking about kids, I forgot to ask you guys,'' Katie said all of the sudden and leaned forward to them. ''Have you heard? Harry Potter's somewhere around here!''

Emmeline's gaze fell back to Katie immediately.

''_Harry Potter_?'' gasped Alicia.

''You don't mean _the_ Harry Potter?'' asked Angelina.

Katie rolled her eyes and said, ''Of course it's that Harry Potter, how many of those have you heard of?''

The compartment door was slid open once again, but this time instead of being only the missing toad kid, a girl wearing her Hogwarts robes was with him. ''Have you seen a toad? Neville's lost his,'' she said in a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and a sort of big large front teeth.

''We told him we haven't—'' started Angelina.

''Neville?'' asked Emmeline with her eyes widened; gaining frowns from the girls and a confused look from the boy. Her heart started beating fast, jumping, and twisting almost as much as it had when she had seen Harry. Could it be? She wondered. ''Neville Longbottom?'' It all seemed like a coincidence, but then she thought of it more. It all sort of clicked. They had been supposed to be in the same year. And there they were... on the same train she was in.

''Yes?'' the boy asked. ''You've seen my toad?'' he asked excitedly, but his momentary happiness faded when she shook her head.

''No, sorry'' she mumbled, pressing her back against the wall and watching Neville carefully.

''Alright then, thanks'' said the girl, who turned to leave but immediately stopped herself and looked at them all. ''I'm Hermione Granger, by the way''

Neville looked at Emmeline with a tiny frown on his face as the girls introduced themselves. When he heard her say, ''Emmeline Warmsley'' he grinned side-ways to her and then left quickly with Hermione. Emmeline sat staring down at her Pumpkin Pasties but did not eat one. All hunger had been washed away by seeing that boy and the mention of Harry once again. It was nothing related to feeling disgusted or repulsed. On the contrary, she was happy, nervous, anxious, and excited. Angelina nudged her ribs, making her realize they were almost at Hogwarts, which made her stomach twist a bit more and her heart leap in joy. It wouldn't be long until he was sorted. But where would he be sorted? She wondered. Anywhere but Slytherin, she was sure. She knew he was smart, she knew he was brave, and she knew he was loyal and just. But where would he be sorted?

The answer was simple, but she kept it as an excuse of thinking of Harry. He looked so much like him from afar. And Neville. She couldn't imagine her luck. She'd be meeting them both this year. It surely was going to be incredible from now on. But, how would she approach them? If they were sorted into Gryffindor, she'd be seeing a lot of them. But what if they were sorted into different Houses? She'd barely see them. At the Great Hall, the corridors, the feasts... Almost never. The thought of it made her skin turn paler than the usual.

People outside had been racing up and down the corridors when they arrived at Hogsmeade. Emmeline pushed her way through the crowd and almost fell back twice by two second years that raced their way out of the train. Finally, when she got out, she looked around desperately for Harry before he got into the boats. Just for her luck, she spotted Hagrid and tried to reach him. But yet again, her luck wasn't so great by then, for someone had gotten a grab on from her sleeve and turned her around.

''Weasley, I've not time for jokes,'' she groaned when he wouldn't let go from her arm.

''See, George? Katie was only joking. This one would never be in a good mood,'' said Fred, letting go of Emmeline's arm and looking from his twin to her.

''You're right, Fred. But then remember it's us she's talking to,'' said George as they started walking with her.

''True. She'd never be in a good mood when with us, right, Warmsley?''

She sighed when she saw Hagrid, Neville, or Harry nowhere in sight and let herself be walked to a carriage with Fred and George. Her head was spinning, her heart was hammering, her stomach was dancing, and her feet and hands tapping against the long table and floor while the hat sang its song. Everything had moved around her so fast she barely noticed; her whole concentration on seeing Harry and Neville, talking to them, and see them get sorted into the House they belonged. When the Hat started shouting out the names of the Houses while on different heads, she became more anxious by the second. She grinned briefly to Lavender Brown, who had become the first one in Gryffindor, and her focus stayed on the sorting hat; waiting for those two boys to finally appear. She hadn't notice the strange looks she got from her friends. Not only for her behaviour, but because she had absent-mindedly sat next to Fred, leaving empty spaces everywhere else.

The brown-haired girl that had been searching for Neville's toad with him was sorted into Gryffindor and Emmeline caught herself smiling at the little girl, who sat just across from her. ''Welcome to Gryffindor!'' she found herself saying to her with a bright smile. Though it didn't last long. As soon as 'Longbottom, Neville' was called, her neck almost broke from how fast she turned her head to face the hat. She held her breath, a knot tightening on her throat. The hat took far too long and she was growing anxious. It all went away when the hat finally shouted, ''GRYFFINDOR!''

She laughed along with the rest of the Gryffindors when Neville ran off happily with the hat on and had to go back and give it back. Neville sat next to Hermione and smiled at everyone else. Emmeline looked at him with a beaming smile and Neville laughed from how excited he was. ''Feeling good, Neville?'' she asked him.

''Never been so happy before'' he said timidly, yet his happiness and excitement was noticeable.

''Did you find your toad?''

She only knew the answer was yes because of his nodding because of the noise that came shortly after she spoke. ''Malfoy, Draco!'' was followed by loud claps and screams from the Slytherin table, making it impossible for anyone to listen to anything else. She moved her head slowly to look up to a platinum blond little boy that swaggered his way forward and sat on the stool. Her lips parted and she stared at him.

''He's just like them...'' she mumbled to herself right after the hat sorted him into Slytherin.

''Who to whom?'' asked Fred leaning forward to hear her better.

''Er- no one'' she lied and turned back to stare at the hat. He shrugged it off and turned to watch the sorting. Emmeline sat petrified on her seat, becoming more anxious by the second. It was taking too long; she'd probably go up there and slam the hat into Harry's head herself. Her patience had started to run out when the hat called him forward. The hushing and whispering started at once, but she did not mind it. Fred, who had both of his arms under the table, widened his eyes and looked at her when Emmeline took a hold of his wrist when she could no longer hold all the nervousness inside. She saw, from the corner of her eye, Fred looking at George with his wide eyes, and George frown at him confused. She chose to ignore them and focus entirely on how long the hat took on sorting Harry. Just before it said one word, Emmeline felt Fred move his hand and take a hold of hers, but it wasn't long before she let go of him and jump from her seat and shouted, ''YES!'' when the sorting hat shouted, ''GRYFFINDOR!''

It was the loudest cheer she'd ever heard in any sorting, probably the loudest Dumbledore had. Half the table had stood up, cheered, and clapped. Fred and George started chanting, ''We got Potter! We got Potter!'', Percy had stood up and shook Harry's hand vigorously. She kept on clapping even when she sat down. It was when everyone stopped cheering and went back to watch the sorting that she noticed how he had sat right next to her. She failed to hide her smile at this and couldn't stop looking at Harry. The boy must've felt the gaze and looked up to her, a grin covering his lips. Just by that look he gave her, made her forget that Ron was being sorted.

_Her eyes_.


	9. Hard enough

It took her an ice-cold shower for her to snap out of her trance.

Although, it had been around four in the morning that she took it, it took her about an extra hour to get out of it and another one to get out of the bathroom. All she had done after getting out was stand in front of the mirror with her bathrobe tight around her and her pale reflection staring blankly at her. ''What was I thinking?'' she had asked herself. She had probably freaked out the poor boy. Hopefully not Neville, but Harry... she might've. But _might_ wasn't good enough for her. With that on mind, she changed into her school robes and brushed her hair down quickly. It still was six in the morning, but whom she sought to talk to, must've awoken a long time ago.

''Such an early hour and I have the pleasure of speaking to you? Must be the start of a marvellous day,'' Professor Dumbledore greeted her from where he stood, petting Fawkes.

''I can't do it'' she sighed and started pacing from side to side behind the two chairs in front of his desk.

''We all have hesitations'' He smiled when the phoenix made an approving noise.

''This is too much. Much more than I thought would come; I can't do it''

''You have no choice,'' he said with all the calm in the world as he turned to grin at her. ''You can, you must, and you will carry on as if nothing has ever happened''

''Easy for you to say,'' she snapped once again and resumed her pacing. This time, Dumbledore said nothing, but clasped his hands against his robes and watched her struggle with herself. Emmeline's mind raced as it hadn't before. It was too much. She was right about that one thing. But Dumbledore was right in some ways; she must and she would. Her pacing slowed down and she stopped by the chair closest to him. Chewing her lower lip she looked up at Fawkes with saddened eyes. ''They're too alike. In every possible way, and I just can't bear it''

And he repeated, ''You can, you must, and you will''

''What if I screw up?''

''I can assure you that won't happen''

''What do I do next then? Play new friend for the rest of the term? For the rest of his time or my time here? Where do I start? What should I do?''

''If he's the boy I assume he is, he'll probably be up early and would want to explore the castle before the lessons begin, don't you think?'' asked Dumbledore, with a broad grin.

''So?'' pushed Emmeline, growing impatient.

''You'll show him around,'' Dumbledore let out a soft chuckle. ''When you turn nervous or anxious you tend to not use your logic, Ms. Warmsley''

She rolled her eyes and looked down at her wristwatch. It was already seven in the morning and he surely must be up by now. ''Alright, I'll go and fetch him. Thank you'' she said turning to leave.

''You're more than welcome,'' he said. ''Oh, and Ms. Warmsley?'' he called after her, making her turn right on time before she walked out.

''Yes?''

''You're turning into a teenager, it's noticeable by now'' joked Dumbledore. Emmeline smiled at that. She liked that about him. He looked so strict at time, every once in a while completely serious, always serene and sweet, but his humour was intact in any situation. Very few were able to presence it, but lately he had been letting it show more than usual. Still, it never got old. Not that he didn't, anyway.  
>Making her way up the thousand staircases and through tons of corridors, she planned where she'd go with Harry, what she'd show him, and what she'd tell him. And by the time she got to the Common Room and saw him walk down the stairs, she forgot everything she had planned out.<p>

She knew this was quite a strange thing to happen. She rarely got nervous at all, or at least never this nervous. He was just a kid, how hard talking to him was? Problem was: he wasn't _just a kid_.

Before he got down the stairs, Emmeline threw herself on the couch with her hands behind her head and legs crossed and said, ''Hello'' with a grin. Harry walked forwards and smiled shyly at her.

''Hi,'' Harry said. Emmeline stood up immediately and stretched her arm to him.

''Emmeline Warmsley,''

''Pleasure. I'm-''

''Harry, I know. You're quite famous around here, did you know that?'' she said sitting on the couch's arm.

He sighed and nodded miserably, ''Not like I asked for it...''

''Oh, I know'' she said sympathetically, but shrugged that off immediately knowing that sympathy was the last thing he needed. ''So, is there anything I could help you with? Get to know the castle, the undead that roam around, understand how the stairs work, know just how to sneak off of Filch's hook... Anything you need, I'm your girl''

Emmeline felt like glowing when she saw him laughing and nodding. Her smile grew bigger when he stated rather than asked, ''You sound like you know this place well enough''

''Like the back of my hand''

**... ... ... ...**

They had finished their mini, yet quite helpful for Harry, tour just in time for Harry's first lesson. For such a short time, they had hit it off pretty well. Emmeline had stood outside in the dungeons wand watched Harry off to his first Potions class; a proud smile growing on her lips and remaining there.

''Now aren't you a _lovely_ Gryffindor?'' an annoying man-like voice came from behind her. Emmeline unfolded her arms and turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

''To whom do I owe the pleasure?'' Emmeline said, in the most sarcastic tone she could pull out.

''Sullivan Klein,'' he took her hand and brought it up to his lips while his eyes were too busy winking up at her. ''And you are?''

''Disgusted,'' she said, pulling back her hand and cleaning it with her robes, but he seemed to have ignored that too. ''Wait, did you say Klein? Is that German?''

''Why yes it is,'' he smirked. ''In fact, my father was born-''

''Why did I even ask?'' She wondered out loud. She rolled her eyes and started walking the opposite direction.

''I've heard wonders about you''

''Does it look like I care?''

''They say you're good for you age. If you know what I mean''

Emmeline held back her laughter and remained absolutely serious when she said, ''I think it's time for you to kindly fuck off, Sullivan''

''Are you not a third year?''

''Yes, why-''

''You don't talk, look, or act like one, did you know?''

She sighed and said, ''Yes, I knew that already, now if you'll excuse me, I'll vomit somewhere else and forget this ever happened. Have a good day, Klein''

**... ... ... ...**

''Ms. Warmsley, glad to see you could make it to the class'' Professor Kettleburn greeted her from his desk as Emmeline walked over to an empty seat next to Patricia Simpson in the back.

''How nice of you to be worried of my well-being, Professor. I appreciate it very much,'' she smiled brightly at him. There were a few laughs among the class and an amused scoffed from behind her. She turned and blew a kiss to Fred, mouthing 'you adore me'.

''Either way... As I was saying...'' Professor Kettleburn kept on going. Emmeline looked to her left and winked at Katie, who frowned in confusion.

''You can do much better than going around crushing on Klein, Kate'' whispered Emmeline.

''What did you do now, Warmsley?'' Fred whispered from behind. Angelina and Lee, who sat behind Katie and Alicia, joined the whispering as well.

''Why do you have to assume I did something bad, Weasley?'' she whispered. ''I just met Katie's little friend'' she said smirking at Katie, who had to hide her face between her arms against the table to muffle her laughter.

''What's so funny?'' asked George.

''Learn German if you'd like a little laugh''


	10. Another thing coming

''What's up with Hermione?'' Emmeline asked, putting her quill down and rolling her parchment away. Professor Snape had assigned a two feet long essay of how to make an Antidote to Uncommon Poisons... detailed. Very detailed. Katie, who sat at the end of the table, was still submerged between books she had borrowed for research, quill, and parchment. Harry had dragged a chair to sit next to Emmeline and talk to her while she did her essay. Ron had also dragged a chair. Hermione sat by the fireplace with a frown on her forehead while she read_ Quidditch Through the Ages_ with utter concentration.

''Flying lessons are coming up tomorrow afternoon. You know how she is, always thinking books are the answer for everything'' sighed Ron shaking his head. Harry grinned.

''And is it necessary for me to ask why Neville is by her side trying to read too?''

''He's also nervous. His grandmother has never let him near a broomstick'' said Harry.

''No wonder why'' chuckled Ron. Harry laughed a bit too and Emmeline slapped both of their arms.

''He must be miserable having so many accidents all the time'' she said defending the boy.

''I would if I were him,'' said Ron.

''Hey, did I tell you about the whole vault thing in Gringotts?'' Harry asked Emmeline.

''Harry!'' Ron said in a warning tone. Emmeline frowned.

''We can trust her, Ron'' defended Harry.

''You don't trust me?'' she asked Ron and watched curiously as blood ran all the way up to his cheek and look down.

''Fred and George say that-''

''Oh, Ron, You know your brothers hate my guts!'' chuckled Emmeline. She smiled wider when Ron got surprisingly redder.

''They're my brothers, shouldn't I listen to them?''

''Well- yeah, you should, but never do so when it's about me, alright? You _can_ trust me, really'' she said hopefully. Relief spread over her when Ron looked up at her and grinned sheepishly as he nodded. ''What Gringotts thing, Harry?'' She said turning back to him.

''So, when I went to Gringotts for the first time with Hagrid on my birthday,'' started Harry. ''We went into this vault... I can't remember which one it was, but he told the Goblin it had been Professor Dumbledore that sent him to pick up something from it. But later that same day there was a break-in at Gringotts into the same vault''

''A break-in? At Gringotts?'' asked Emmeline surprised.

''I know! That's what I thought too!'' commented Ron. ''What we think is that maybe whatever Hagrid got from there is really important for Professor Dumbledore and it's something important that someone would try and steal it''

''Makes sense'' nodded Emmeline. ''Do you have any idea of what it may be?''

Ron opened his mouth to answer but sighed in defeat when he remembered he had no idea what it was.

**... ... ... ...**

Thursday morning had risen and everyone had gone to the Great Hall for good breakfast before their classes. Emmeline hadn't even sipped her orange juice when she had stood up between Neville and Harry, and Malfoy when he took Neville's Rememberall. It took her one stern look and, ''Give it back, Draco'' in an authoritarian tone for Malfoy to scowl and slam it back down to the table and leave. Neville blushed and grinned at her shyly muttering a low 'Thanks'. Fred and George had taken care of making her push away her plate when they started making fun of her motherly ways when it came to the first years. She had snatched a toast from George's plate and stuck her tongue out at him before making her way to her first class of the day: Divination.

It was when the students had started to arrive that she realized she chose the wrong elective class. Fred and George took a table right next to hers while Angelina sat down next to her grinning sympathetically at her. She groaned and slammed her head against the table.

''This is going to be so much fun,'' mumbled Emmeline, leaning back against her chair when Professor Trelawney entered the classroom and the low laughter and whispering began.

''Welcome! Welcome, my children, to Divination! My name is Professor Trelawney. You may have never seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye.''

''If by Inner Eye she means her sanity, then I agree'' Emmeline whispered to Angelina, who snorted a bit too loud and covered her mouth before laughing out loud too. Emmeline bit her lip and laughed silently at Angelina.

''So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field... Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearing, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future...''

As she went on, Emmeline kept yawning, rolling her eyes, looking up at the ceiling, glancing around in the room... She did anything but pay attention to what the Professor kept on going about. She felt like a whole minute had passed in the slowest of ways when she stopped her rambling and turned to Kenneth Towler and said, ''Is your uncle well?''

''Here we go...'' sighed Emmeline, crossing her arms on the table and pressing her chin against them, looking up boringly.

''I guess, yeah'' said Kenneth confused.

''Never guess! She might just not be,'' said Professor Trelawney. ''Next term we'll progress to palmistry, whilst this year we will be devoted entirely to reading the tea leaves. By the way, dear,'' she turned to Emmeline, who raised an eyebrow at her lazily. ''beware of a red-haired man''

She was decent enough to fake fear and nod, but once Professor Trelawney turned Emmeline did so too and glanced at Fred and George. ''I'm watching you'' she whispered to them.

''Boo!'' they chorused making her laugh. It took another long rambling about what they'd do the next term for Professor Trelawney to finally start the lesson.

''Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me, and I will fill it. Then sit down, and drink, drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer, wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to our partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of _Unfogging the Future. _I shall move among you, helping and instructing...''

''How adorable, a tea party for us! Oh, she shouldn't have'' mocked Angelina. Emmeline laughed and took her cup from the shelf as everybody else had.

''This is rubbish'' sighed George once he took his.

''Couldn't agree more'' commented Fred when in line for his tea.

''This is better than to be stuck in Ancient Runes like Lee, Kate, and Ali, don't you think?'' said Emmeline after getting her cup filled by Professor Trelawney, who gave her a rather odd look. She simply grinned at her and went back to her seat. Angelina joined her just a moment later with Fred and George by her tail.

''She's right, you know. This will be easy for our O.W.L.s in fifth year'' said Angelina, taking a sip of her tea.

''You're already thinking of those?'' George widened his eyes.

''Merlin, Angie, you're sounding more and more like Alicia'' chuckled Fred.

''The O.W.L.s are nothing, a piece of cake'' Emmeline rolled her eyes, taking the last sip from her tea.

''And how do you know?'' Angelina raised an eyebrow at her. Emmeline didn't look up or answer. She pretended to keep on drinking her tea and then followed instruction swilling the dregs around the cup three times with her left hand. After everyone was done, she handed her cup to Angelina, who handed hers to Emmeline.

''What the bloody hell is that, Fred?'' George asked from behind with widened eyes while he looked down at Fred's cup.

''Let me see,'' Emmeline reached up for the cup and looked down at it quickly. ''That's a Club'' she handed it back to George, who took a moment and started nodding.

''Yeah, it is''

''What does it mean?'' asked Fred. He hadn't even glanced down at his brother's. Not that George had given him time, anyway.

''An attack or something like that'' shrugged Emmeline, looking down at Angelina's.

''I thought you hated Divination'' Angelina said, glancing up at Emmeline.

''I don't hate it. I just think it's useless. Though I did take some time to read the whole book''

''You're mad'' George said, shaking his head.

''George you have a... duck?'' said Fred with a frown on his forehead. Angelina and Emmeline turned to frown at him just like George had.

''What does that mean?'' George turned to Emmeline.

''Never heard of someone having a duck'' she said, snatching the cup from Fred's hands and looking down at it. She sighed and started laughing. ''Weasley, you idiot! That's a _cross_!''

''How could you possibly ever confuse those two?'' chuckled Angelina.

''What does a cross mean?'' asked George.

''Trials, suffering... Things like that,'' said Emmeline. She widened her eyes when George had turned a bit pale and said, ''Don't take it so seriously! This is all lies, I promise you''

''You know it all, don't you, Warmsley? What did Angie get?'' said Fred taking George's cup back. Emmeline looked down at the cup for a moment and bit her lower lip, feeling Angelina's eyes boring into her face.

''A sun''

''Great happiness!'' smiled Angelina reading it from the book.

''Let me see that, dear'' Professor Trelawney had come by to their table and took Emmeline's cup from Angelina and looked at them. ''You must rotate it in order to see what must be seen''

''Right, forgot that part'' mumbled Emmeline. She sighed and leaned back against her chair with crossed arms, looking at Professor Trelawney challengingly. Everyone started at her in silent, waiting.

''The falcon... but yours is not common, oh no, it is not. You have a deadly enemy, but this enemy is somehow unknown to you'' It surprised Emmeline herself when she sat straight and glared up at Professor Trelawney. ''There's a cross, very marked. You will suffer greatly. And there's-'' Professor Trelawney let the cup land on the table and walked backwards, a hand on her heart as she said, ''Oh, dear, my poor little girl... so young... and you have the- The grim''

''What does that mean?'' asked Patricia Simpson from the table next to them.

''Death. It's the worst omen there is'' answered Emmeline, calmer than she should've been.

Everyone stayed frozen on their seats, looking horrified at Emmeline while she simply looked down at her cup curiously, yet serene. Professor Trelawney announced the end of the lesson and everyone packed their things away. ''Are you not coming, Warmsley? Transfiguration is not so close from here, you know?'' Fred called after her when she stayed just where she had sat.

She looked up and realized she hadn't moved. ''Yeah'' Taking her things, Emmeline walked outside of the classroom, glancing once over her shoulder to Professor Trelawney, who stood next to her desk staring at her with confusion.


	11. Drifting away from sanity

Severus Snape almost slammed the utensils for cleaning into Emmeline's hands one night in the Trophy Room. She glared down at the mop and piece of cloth in her hands and looked back up at him. He stared at her with his usual cold look. Sighing she said, ''Will you ever really forgive me, _Professor_?''

''There is nothing to forgive. Especially when no one has apologized,'' he said coolly. ''Whatever happened to 'the past is the past'?''

She looked at him desperately but sighed once again in defeat and looked away. Her eyes landed on the one name that made her smile even the slightest on any moment. This time, she smiled at the coincidence. ''Always present, isn't he?'' she whispered. Snape didn't have to glance to know who she meant.

''Probably laughing from his grave,'' he snapped.

''Don't you-''

''Sorry I'm late!'' George came inside just in time. Snape turned to glare at him while Emmeline looked up at him incredulously. ''It won't get me another detention, will it?'' he said trying to lighten up the mood. Snape simply slammed the utensils into his hands and walked out the door, slamming it on his way out. Emmeline and George cringed. She sighed and shook her head. ''Always the moody type, Snape''

''Tell me about it'' muttered Emmeline. She moved to the first line of trophies and started cleaning. ''Whatever are you doing here, anyway? Where's your evil twin?'' she mocked.

''He's not evil,'' defended George. ''And I, well... Professor McGonagall got angry when I arrived late at Transfiguration earlier today''

''Late? I thought you had left early from the loony bin'' Emmeline laughed, but George remained oddly silent. She frowned and looked at him. ''What is it?''

''I stayed behind... Left a book in there and went to look for it and then on my way there-'' he sighed and chose to keep on cleaning a medal.

''What?'' she asked him, frowning.

''I bumped into Klein... and he started talking about Katie''

''Oh,'' she said, looking at George, surprised it affected him that much. ''You didn't believe anything he said, right?''

''No, of course not,'' he answered quickly.

The night was darkening and they could see nothing inside. Emmeline placed down a cup and walked around the room, searching for candles. George glanced up from a golden plate and watched her pass by about ten of them. He was about to say something but stopped himself when he saw her walk by again to where she had started. As she passed, she glanced up to each candle, and when she did each one of them started lighting up. She kept on doing this, circling the room and lighting every single thing that could bring light. Once she was done, she glanced at George and grinned. The fireplace at the end of the room lit itself up bringing warmth into the room. George almost let the plate slid off his hands while he stared in awe around the room. ''How did you...'' he started whispering.

''Wandless...and non-verbal magic'' she answered before he had a chance. He stared at her amazed, processing what she had just said.

''They haven't taught us that yet''

She laughed and said, ''And they won't. It's something you can't teach to a room full of students. It requires dedication, concentration, attention, practice, and power''

''Alicia mentioned you did it in the train and that you'd teach her. She's quite excited,'' said George.

''The only person I ever taught to do wandless magic lies peacefully underground next to the first I ever taught non-verbal magic to'' she said calmly without thinking. She widened her eyes a bit once she realized what she said. George's lips parted and stared at her incredulously. Emmeline walked closer to him and took his hand into both of hers. ''Can I trust you?''

George looked at her with confusion and said, ''You can trust me... but can_ I_ trust _you_?''

''Yes'' she said relieved, letting go of his hand and smiling up at him. ''Of course you can-''

''Why the sudden change of heart, then? You hated me not two hours ago-''

Emmeline stepped back and looked at him with a frown. ''Who said I hated you?''

''Well you-'' he stopped himself and it was his turn to frown. He looked up at her amazed.

''Exactly, I never did, you just implied it because _you_ hate _me_''

''I don't'' said George.

''So... what you mean is that we've hated each other when the truth is... we never did?'' Emmeline raised an eyebrow.

''I guess,'' George rubbed the back of his neck and they started laughing. They stayed like this for a while and then started to carry on with the cleaning. They sat next to each other while cleaning more cups, plates, and medals summoned by Emmeline. They talked endlessly. George told her the silly tales Bill and Charlie used to tell him and Fred, about Charlie and the dragons, Charlie in general, about George's mum, his dad, about Ron, about Ginny, about Mr. Weasley... and then to the twin subject. They stayed the longest on that one. George just seemed to have been waiting a long while to talk to her about all the jokes and pranks he and Fred had been plotting against her but kept some for himself. To his surprise, Emmeline had been everything but mad at him. She had actually laughed and complimented him for the creativity.

''I wish I had a family like yours'' Emmeline said, admiring a shield she had just finished cleaning. She watched it float all the way to where it had been put before she took it.

''What about yours? Do you have siblings?'' George asked looking down at a bronze plate in his lap as he cleaned it lazily.

''Not one''

George turned to look at her and the plate he had been cleaning floated all the way to where it belonged. ''Cousins?''

''None''

''Uncles?''

''None''

''Aunts?''

''None''

He sighed and bit his lower lip before asking, ''...Parents?'' He watched her stare at the fireplace in complete silent. Emmeline took a deep breath and sighed silently.

''Dead'' she said coolly. George shuddered slightly and sighed.

''Is it... alright if I ask-''

''Murdered,'' she answered him before he could. ''Both of them''

''Who do you live with, then?''

''No one, really'' she said simply. George widened his eyes in surprise.

''Really?'' he whispered.

''Really''

''That's... sad''

She chuckled and shook her head. ''Maybe. But I don't see it that way''

''And what way do you see it?''

Emmeline pressed her lips together into a thin line and frowned. ''It's hard to explain''

''I might surprise you if you try me''

She looked at him incredulously and chuckled, looking back to the fire. ''You're better off not knowing, George'' Both were startled at what she had just said, but said nothing. A shield flew from the back of the room and landed on Emmeline's hands. She sat there petrified as she looked down at it. At the top, 'Gryffindor' was written and in the centre of the shield was a smaller golden one that read 'James Potter' listing him as playing Seeker in 1972. She traced her fingertips on the name and let out a shaky breath, her lower lip trembling. George had asked her if she was alright but she ignored the question and stared in awe at the shield, cleaning it with the effort she hadn't made present on the rest. It almost glowed when she was done with it. George's eyes flickered from her face to the shield, worry visible in his eyes. Emmeline sniffed, making George notice the tip of her nose, which was the only part of her face he had ever seen with colour up until now. ''He'd be proud'' she whispered without looking up from the name engraved under the tips of her fingers.

George watched her fingers; tenderly tracing each letter and number and the shield itself. He had already known of all the great Seekers that had ever been in Gryffindor, but could not understand why Emmeline, who naturally hated Quidditch, admired so dearly one of Gryffindor's best. Not King, from 1969, who had been a spectacular Seeker and the best of his time. Not Professor McGonagall, who had suffered and still did for every loss the scarlet and gold had, and who had been the best female Seeker there had ever been in Hogwarts and still was ever since 1971. But she only felt great admiration and was what George recognized as proud for one particular Seeker who happened to be the father of a boy she cared greatly for.

He found this a strange.

Emmeline's lips formed a broken smile that made George feel almost guilty for something he neither knew of nor had done. ''Tomorrow's Halloween, George'' she had whispered. George hadn't thought of this for a long time. Though, as he thought of it more, he and Fred had been plotting a friendly gift for Emmeline just for that night. And as he thought of it more, he remembered that one Halloween that had turned his hatred, that wasn't really hate, toward Emmeline into almost none. And just as he thought a bit more, it somehow seemed to start clicking. Her tenderness towards Harry and how protective she was over him, how much admiration and emotion was there when she spoke or heard of his father, and how Halloween, October 31st, turned out to be the one night he had been murdered and just the one night that not so long ago he and Lee had seen Emmeline cry. Every Halloween, she did...

''What do you mean?''

George jerked his head up to look at her, wondering if he had said that out loud. He gulped and said, ''It's going to sound crazy, but... It's hard not to wonder if... you know, if you're somehow-''

''Say it already'' she pushed.

''Related to Harry?'' he blurted it out. It sounded so logical inside his head but now that he had said it, it seemed almost impossible, ridiculous, and unimaginable! He even looked back at the fire, knowing that she'd probably laugh in his face. He could almost feel the laughter running up her throat to be sent out and barked into his ear. But she didn't. George waited and waited, not daring to look at her, but she did not laugh. The thought of what he had said being real made him turn to face her and look at her incredulously. Emmeline had looked up at him and stared with her lips parted, deep in thought. ''You are...'' whispered George.

''I am, but not the way you probably think'' she answered truthfully.

''Then how? Are you his sister or something?''

The laughter he had been expecting came and startled him. ''Oh, you have no idea how much I wish I was Harry's big sister. He sees me that way, though. And maybe one day he might just say it out loud... But no, I am not Harry's sister. It's far much more complicated than that''

''How complicated?'' asked George confused.

''Far too complicated'' whispered Emmeline, looking down at James's shield, grinning down at it. ''It's getting late'' she said, standing up and taking the shield herself to where it belonged. George walked to the door and waited for her. As she walked over to the door, looking up at George and smiled gratefully, the candles blew out. They exited the Trophy Room and made their silent way up to the Gryffindor Tower. She asked George something about Quidditch just to be polite and he went on into his rambling about everything there was to know. He said every detail, went over the positions and most famous tactics that Oliver Wood liked to use and talked about his very favourite teams and players. Just when they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he had just finished and Emmeline felt like she knew far enough already.

''Pig Snout'' Emmeline said and they walked into the Common Room just when George started making fun of the silly passwords and Emmeline laughed. Lee, Alicia, Angelina, Katie, and Fred all sat together and were startled when they saw them walk inside far more than civil. Emmeline cleared her throat and George looked at them.

''I don't believe it!'' shouted Fred. ''The dwarf of brother we have may have gone to her side, but you! You're the uglier version of my face! How could you!''

''Quit the shouting, Weasley, we just had detention together''

''Did you just say uglier?'' George asked.

''We just had detention together'' Fred mocked her in a high-pitched tone.

''Very mature'' she glared at him, crossing her arms.

''Here we go...'' groaned Angelina.

''Very mature'' Fred mocked her once again.

''I'm much more handsome, thank you very much!'' argued George.

''I'm getting sick of this, to be honest'' Emmeline said making her way to the stairs.

''Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts...'' Katie started singing.

''Really?'' Alicia glared at Katie.

''I'm getting sick of this, to be honest'' Fred mocked.

''Weasley!'' screamed Emmeline.

''Mom says I'm handsome!'' yelled George.

''Weasley!'' Fred screamed in a girly voice.

''One hippogriff, two hippogriffs...'' Lee said, slamming a pillow against his face over and over again.

''Our heads could do with filling with some interesting stuff!''

''This is madness'' groaned Alicia.

''Stop being such a git!''

''I am also nicer, d'you know!''

''...Six hippogriffs, seven hippogriffs...''

''Jesus...'' sighed Angelina.

''Stop being such a git!''

''So teach us things worth knowing, bring back what we've forgot!'' Angelina joined Katie.

''I'm surrounded by idiots'' mumbled Alicia.

''George is so much nicer than you are!''

''THANK YOU!''

''George is so much nicer than you are! BOLLOCKS!''

''...eighteen hippogriffs, nineteen hippogriffs...''

''I am better looking _and_ nicer than you!''

''...our brains all rot!''

''AND AGAIN!'' shouted Katie.

''NO!'' Fred, George and Emmeline shouted in unison at her.

''What the bloody hell is going on in here?''

The seven of them turned and noticed how the Common Room and the stairs had been filled by groans, yawns, and amused looks. Percy walked forward his arms crossed and a scowl, tapping his foot and glaring at each of them. Silence filled the room and he shouted, ''WELL?'' And why he had done that, no one knew. Emmeline went back to scream at Fred saying it was his fault, Fred went on mocking, George kept on screaming how he was the better looking twin and how Fred just couldn't handle it, Katie simply started telling Percy how they all started yelling so she chose for the civil track and sang the school's song, Angelina begged him not to tell Professor McGonagall because Quidditch was coming up, Alicia went on about how she had no idea what was going on with their heads, and Lee simply started counting hippogriffs. Again.

''ALRIGHT ALRIGHT, I GOT IT!'' shouted Percy, but neither of them bothered. It was only until one girl that descended from the Girl's Dorm with a tight bun at the top of her dark-haired head and a tight robe around her that moved Percy to a side and cleared her throat. Only Alicia noticed this and went rigid. The girl took a deep breath and sighed.

''SILENCE!'' she roared and the entire Common Room fell silent. She grinned and said, ''I don't give a bloody damn what the issue is, I just wish to sleep. Now either all of you get your arses to bed or I will call Professor McGonagall and make sure you get detention until I graduate, and make your lives here a living hell. Am I clear?'' she said in a stern voice that made everyone cringe. The seven of them ran upstairs to their dormitories just like everyone else. The black-haired girl sighed happily and smiled. She turned to Percy and said, ''I might just not make it to Head Girl with the little patience I have, but if you get to Head Boy, you better learn how to control these children, Perce''

''You're too harsh, did you know?''

''I'm Russian, raised in Bangkok. What did you expect, really?''

* * *

><p><strong>I had so much fun writing, editing, and reading this! I hoped you enjoyed it as much as I did :)<strong>


	12. Persecution

''Will she be alright, Professor?''

''Yes, but there is nothing to worry about, I assure you''

''But she got- she got hit with the-''

''I'm afraid that the mind plays many tricks on us''

''But we saw it! We did! I swear-''

''Minerva, I must ask you to escort the children to their bed. I will take care of the situation from now on''

''But-''

''Have a good night''

It had been far too obvious to the three of them. They were absolutely certain that it hadn't been a misunderstanding. How could they not believe them when they saw it so clearly? Right in front of them? Why would they ever make up such thing? But they knew the truth. It had happened. One moment they had all been running through the dungeons, spells being fired at them. Unforgivables. The next she had thrown them to a wall and did everything to stop, but it had been five over one and she could only take too much, they knew it. Harry had felt it was somehow a déjà vu. Lighting had stricken and they had all seen how the green light crashed against her, full on her chest and she fell backwards, collapsing lifeless on the ground. The five that had done such thing had seemed to come out of some trance. The one who had fired realized what he had done as he started to lower his wand. Imperiused, they said they all were. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had started screaming for help immediately. Ron had run out of anger and started hitting with his fists one of the guys that stood there petrified. But his tiny hands were nothing compared to seventh year's students' size.

Harry's heart had felt ripped out. He felt it had been his fault. If he hadn't asked them to go check what had been making such noise outside the Portrait's Hole, they wouldn't have been in the situation they were. Hermione crying and screamed desperately, tugging on her robes, not wanting it to be true.

It had been far too real for it to just have been a trick their minds had played on them.

**... ... ... ...**

''This is so good!'' Hermione squealed, smiling widely at Emmeline who sat next to her on Halloween, an hour or two before the Feast.

''I told you, didn't I? He's one of the best I've ever read. And that's just _Hamlet_, wait until you read all of the others'' Emmeline smiled, staring blankly to the ceiling.

''I might just finish this one in a while. Probably will re-read it since I just have about two hours reading it''

''They don't bite, George, they eat books only'' Fred came from downstairs and plopped down next to Emmeline.

''I'm starving, Freddie. Not thinking about jokes now'' sighed George, plopping down next to Hermione.

''Right, I forgot you were now friends with Warmsley'' Fred rolled his eyes.

''Jealous?'' Emmeline said in a mocking tone and winked at him. George and Hermione just laughed at them.

''Where's my dwarf of a brother?'' asked Fred. Hermione froze and her lips started trembling.

''Oh, Hermione-'' Emmeline started but Hermione took the book and ran out of the Common Room, sobbing. ''Great. Just perfect. Thank you very much, Weasley''

''What did I do now?''

''I finally got her out of the Girl's bathroom with a book and you come and mention your lovely brother. You deserve trophy for 'Tactless Moron of the year' ''

''What did he do?'' asked George.

''Ron said no one could stand her and some other thing that I couldn't quite figure out through her sobbing. She seemed pretty affected by it. Didn't question her any further, just gave her the book and she's been all right up until your beloved brother mentioned him again''

''Blimey'' said Fred, rubbing his neck.

''Time for the feast'' Percy came walking down the Boy's Dorms and walked right out the Portrait hole. Fred stood up and rubbed his belly.

''Why is it that at the mention of food you're hungry all of the sudden?'' asked Emmeline, looking up at him.

''I'm a Weasley, we eat all the time. What'd you expect?'' chuckled Fred. He and George walked towards the Hole but both turned. ''Aren't you coming?''

Emmeline opened her lips but pressed them together into a thin line quickly and shook her head. She looked down at her lap and waited for them to leave. Fred and George exchange and curious look but then shrugged it off and walked out. Emmeline sighed and pressed her back against the couch, her right hand wrapped around her left wrist. A crystal tear rolled down her pale cheeks she reached up to her neck and took out her necklace. With more tears rolling down her cheeks, she held onto the pendant if it was the only hope she had left... she mourned in silence.

**... ... ... ...**

''He had a _dragon!_ Do you know how many rules he was-''

''He was not breaking any rules, Hermione, trust me''

''And you think it is okay to just wander around with a dragon in your home?'' she asked her with widened eyes.

''Well, if you put it like that, it sounds horrible. But you know Hagrid, he loves animals, creatures, all sorts of moving living things that aren't humans! I do too. You know, now that you mention this to me, I'll send an owl to Charlie and ask for Dragon shopping advice''

Hermione stuttered and then groaned, burying her face back into _Lear_. Harry and Ron laughed at this. ''Wood is still as happy as ever. It's been a while. Do you think it's healthy?'' asked Angelina, sitting down on a chair next to them. The match against Slytherin had been a rough one. Thanks to George's long and detailed explanation of Quidditch, Emmeline was able to understand everything that was going on. She had a proud smile glue on her face for two days after the game. Harry had played just like she had imagined and even better so.

''It's been a while since Gryffindor ever won. He has a reason to be happy'' Emmeline smiled.

''Where's Ali? She's supposed to help me with my Potions' essay'' said Angelina.

''Library'' answered Katie. ''Going there right now, she said she'd help me with mine too''

The two of them stared at each other for a moment and then started a race out the Hole, leaving Harry, Ron and Emmeline into fits of laugher.

''Poor Hagrid, though. Must be heartbroken with Norbert gone'' sighed Emmeline.

''He was, is, and probably will for a while'' muttered Ron. Emmeline glared at him and he blushed.

''Filch got you four in detention, then?''

''If Grandma hears, she'll kill me'' mumbled Neville, who sat right next to Emmeline.

''She won't'' she assured him.

''Is it true what Angelina said yesterday?'' Harry turned to look at Emmeline.

''What did she say?''

''About you helping Professor Snape with that cut he got on his leg''

''Oh, that... Yeah, I helped''

Ron looked at her startled, ''And you think that's fine? He tried to steal whatever is in you-know-what!''

''Don't start-''

''Shh!'' Hermione said, looking at them alarmed. ''What was that?'' she whispered. The three of them looked at her funny.

''What was what?'' asked Harry.

''That noise... didn't you- There, again!''

''I think spending so much time with books is finally getting to you'' Emmeline joked. Hermione punched her arm and pointed to the Portrait Hole. They waited in silence, the four of them staring at it intently. Just as Ron opened his mouth to say that it was just her imagination—_tap_. It started to grow more vicious and louder—_tap tap_. Harry stood up and took his wand. ''Harry... what are you doing?''

''Let's go check it out'' he said in a low voice.

''Harry, come on, this is rubbish. It's probably Fred and George trying to scare us'' Emmeline rolled her eyes.

''They're in detention. They're not off until about an hour or two'' Ron said, watching Harry and taking his wand too.

_Tap tap tap tap tap_.

Curiosity got the best out of the four of them. They all took their wands out and walked outside of the Portrait Hole, Emmeline and Harry upfront. The corridor was absolutely deserted; there was not one ghost around, not one portrait awake, not one person walking around. The four of them lit their wands and looked around, not so far from the portrait. Neville let out a startling scream when the portrait swung close. The three of them aimed at him but sighed when they saw it was him.

''Sorry about-''

He had no time to finish. _''Petrificus Totalus!_'' A red light was stricken from the end of the corridor right at Neville. He fell petrified to the ground and Hermione went to pick him up, but a purple light that almost got to her made her jump and start running with the rest. ''I don't know how to duel!'' Harry shouted at Emmeline as they ran through a corridor.

''You won't have to! Just try not to get hit!'' She yelled back at him. Five figures ran behind them, throwing hex after jinx after curse in their directions. The portraits behind them fell to hit their persecutors and went back to their places after the five figures had passed through them. The point was to hit and run. Emmeline turned her head through her shoulder almost automatically, throwing curses non-verbally at either figure behind her. Ron was panting next to her while Harry ran as fast as he could in front of her. When they got to the stairs they jumped two by two. To their awful luck, the stairs had stopped moving and it was far easier to be followed.

Hermione was falling behind, but Ron pulled her arm and moaned, ''Move faster!'' making her run right beside Harry. The walls, ceiling, and floor seemed to be pushing down against them. Pants, curses, footsteps, and yells filled their ears. Hermione looked over her shoulder and screamed, ''_Impedimenta_!'' but missed just by an inch or so. It only caused one of the five that followed them to cast the Cruciatus Curse but fail, since Emmeline dodged it. They headed to the dungeons, Ron falling behind. Emmeline took him by his robes and they turned on a corner, she slammed the three of them to the wall and turned. She raised her wand to cast a curse but the one in the middle was faster and raised his. A green jet of light was shot from his wand and hit her full on her chest. Harry yelled as hard as he could and Hermione screamed in horror. Emmeline collapsed lifeless on the ground, her wands slipping from her fingers, and her eyes widened staring blankly just where Ron stood frozen.

* * *

><p><strong>Dun dun duuuuunnn! Their minds playing tricks or what? :o <strong>


	13. As I Pretend to feel no pain

A brown basket full of peonies with a letter attached to it swung from side-to-side on a chubby shy boy's hands as he walked down white corridors looking for three specific numbers against a wall. He gaped up, passing door by door. _Seven_ _hundred forty six_. He took a deep breath and knocked on the white wooden door. Quick enough, he pressed his ear against the door but heard nothing. He raised his hand to knock one more time but someone had beaten him to it from the other side. The door swung open and he almost fell forward. The boy gaped up and grinned shyly at the old man that had opened the door for him. The man greeted him and let him walk inside. They said their goodbyes and he left the room. The boy looked around the big white room. A large wooden table was placed against the wall facing the bed, filled with flowers and sweets. He turned and looked at her. He still wasn't used to seeing her moving after all he had heard. Though he had seen her asleep earlier that week, and the week before that, and the one before that one... he still wasn't used to it. White silk was all the way down to her elbows and dark blue jeans hugged her lower limbs. Her feet were bare and almost transparent on the white floor. She always looked paler than the last time he would visit. It was just as if instead of being healed, she was getting sicker.

But she looked perfectly fine.

Her hair was wrapped up in what he recognized was a loose bun; strands of her hair hanging down against her face. The boy coughed a little bit and made her turn quickly in alert, her eyes looking ready to stricken, but she stopped herself quick enough before she hurt him. A smile crept up her lips, making her seem to be glowing. ''Neville!'' she said, walking to him and wrapping her arms around him.

''Em?'' Neville said timidly, not hugging back. ''The basket hurts''

''Oh... is- is that for me?'' she said startled after she pulled away, looking down at the basket full of flowers. Neville nodded and an even brighter smile lit up the room. ''You really didn't have to bring me another one, Nev''

''How'd you know I brought you more?'' Neville asked as she took the basket from his hands and placed it among the others.

''Albus told me so,'' Emmeline said absent-mindedly while eyeing the card in her hands. She read it in silent with the same smile on her lips.

''You mean Professor Dumbledore did'' he stated, as if correcting her mistake.

Emmeline looked up from the card and frowned at him. ''Isn't his name Albus?''

''Y-yeah, but he's-''

''Neville, May I ask you a favour?'' she interrupted him, placing the card on the table and walking over to the bed. She sat down in it and looked up at him curiously. He nodded shyly and she asked, ''What is it they say happened to me?''

''Well... Harry, Ron, and Hermione said they saw you get hit by the... you know. But Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Ron's parent say that it was a stunning spell or something like that that made you hit your head pretty hard''

''And do you believe them?''

''I-I don't know who to believe,'' he said miserably, sitting down next to her and looking down bitterly at his hands. ''I mean, you couldn't have been hit by the... you know and be here. But what the others say makes no sense! A-and Harry was sure of what he said happened but they also say they were hit by some spell that confused them. But now _I_ feel like I was the one hit by it'' he mumbled.

Emmeline grinned at this and leaned closer to him and whispered, ''I'll tell you a secret if you promise to keep it, alright?'' He looked up excitedly. It had been probably the first time someone had ever trusted something on him. His face seemed to glow just as much as her smile had not so long ago. He nodded quickly. ''Promise!'' Neville said. She placed both of her hands on his ear while a grin played on her lips. His innocence, the excitement, and how adorable he was made it hard not to smile.

''They're lying''

Neville widened his eyes and gaped up at her. He started stuttering and Emmeline could do nothing but laugh at this. ''H-how are you even alive? But which one of them is lying?''

''That is one secret I will tell you when I can. For now... I trust you will keep this secret, Nev. It is very important for me that you do''

''Don't worry,'' Neville said standing up. ''I will, I promise!''

Emmeline looked up at him, proud and amazed, and stood up too. She leaned down and kissed the top of his head, hugging him tightly. Neville didn't even hesitate and hugged her back right away. He froze, then, when he heard her whisper, ''They'd be so proud of you, Neville'' He didn't know how to react, say, or do. How did she know? Has it been because she was at the same hospital as them? Had she been visiting them? Did she even know them? She must have been a baby when they were... fine. Questions and questions swarmed by Neville's head, but all he could do was close his eyes and nod silently. He wished to push her away and question her about all of this, but, for some reason, all that he felt himself capable of was stand there and feel safe.

* * *

><p><strong>Finally I've finished the re-editing! I'm sorry it took so long, but at least I hope it was worth it! To me, it was.<br>****I'll try and upload another chapter some time this week, since this one was rather short. If you had read the story's original chapters, let me know if you like the change or not! Either way, I appreciate the feedback :) **


	14. Us

It was early in the afternoon that a feminine silhouette strolled through the grass of the Dursley's front garden. Mrs. Figg watched from her window the girl that stretched her arm to knock on the wooden door softly yet determined; her long brown hair was tied back with a white ribbon and her loose grey skirt reached down to her knees. The girl seemed older than what her dressing ways made her seem. Even so, she looked younger than what one would guess. She held a white box on her left arm that looked nothing too heavy. The girl remained calmed and did not knock again. She seemed to be certain that the Dursleys would not take long to reply to a knock unless they had something special going on like their son's fiftieth pie of the month. A tall thin woman with a floral apron opened the door with that hypocrite smile that her lips always wore when visitors arrived. Soon, it disappeared when seeing the girl standing before her. The faked smile vanishing and all blood running from her face. The lips of Petunia Dursley trembled and she stuttered slightly, searching through her brain, trying to come up with _anything_ that she could possibly say.

But the girl was much faster and, without even the tiniest trace of a grin, she said, ''Petunia''. Her tone made Petunia snap from her trance and move aside, glaring at the girl as she walked inside the house.

Petunia looked outside from side-to-side, searching for any watching eyes. She closed the door slowly and said, ''You dare come here being-''

''If _you dare_ say freak, I will make you regret ever saying that word to-''

''Mum!'' Dudley's irritating and demanding voice came from the kitchen. No wonder he was drowning on everything he could find. Petunia seemed to have read the girl's thought and smirked proudly saying, ''His trousers are falling off now. Getting thinner, my boy''

''Or is it that you buy him bigger clothes to make him feel better?'' snapped the girl practically slapping the smirk off Petunia's face. She glared at the girl furiously and jerked her head, motioning to the stairs.

''He's upstairs. Now, once you're done, I want you out of my-'' She had no chance to finish. The girl walked up the stairs with the same icy expression. The house looked warm and cosy, but the people in it certainly did not make it seem that way. There were photographs of the three of them all over the walls and on a little table put up for decoration. No sign of the boy she cared the most. The boy that had to spend every summer with them. She knocked twice on what she knew was his door and heard a startled jump and an owl's hoot. The door was open in an instant and that dark-haired young boy she loved so much stood in front of her. She watched him gape up at her with widened eyes, making a bright smile on her lips wash away that anger she had felt at standing before Petunia Dursley. ''Now look at that. You're all grown up and it's only been a couple of month since I've last seen you''

''Emmeline!'' Harry beamed, throwing his arms around her. Emmeline started laughing and hugged him right back, being careful not to destroy the box in her hands. His hair already reached her cheek perfectly without her having to lean down. She pressed a loving kiss at the top of his head and pulled away from him, her hand on his pale cheek. She frowned.

''Have you not been taking any sunlight?''

''Like you're one to talk,'' chuckled Harry. ''You're paler by the day''

Emmeline laughed once more and smiled at Harry. ''Happy birthday, kid'' she said, making Harry's face lighten up completely just before he threw his arms around her once again. She felt her heart twitch a little at this, knowing how it must've been the first and only congratulations he had received in the whole day.

''So this is what Harry Potter's man cave looks like'' she said jokingly, looking around his room ass they sat on the floor, his door locked. The box opened beside them and sweets, cake, and muffins surrounded them. Four sweaters, three pairs of socks, new robes, and a few shirts were already folded on Harry's bed. Although Harry had complained, Emmeline insisted he kept all of it. Those were his presents after all. Still, he begged her to at least eat with him everything she had brought him. Harry was shocked when she had started pulling out food after clothes after more food from that little white box. She had to explain him how the Undetectable Extension Charm worked. Harry took a fist-sized piece of cake into his mouth and his cheeks grew. Emmeline laughed as he nodded, in response to her question.

''You're talking like a man already'' Harry frowned. ''You no longer have that little boy's voice''

Harry swallowed and said, ''I haven't noticed any difference, you know''

''You won't. Trust me, just those who haven't seen you in a while will notice it. That's why none of them have started to make fun of you''

Harry sighed and said, ''I hate it here, Em. If I could _just_ get out for a few minutes. Go away from them and be able to do magic... It wouldn't be as bad as it is''

Emmeline watched him sadly while he took another bean. He spit it out the second he closed his mouth and made a repulsed sound. Emmeline raised her eyebrow at him and chuckled. ''Bogey flavoured?''

''Worse... Vomit'' Harry said, cleaning his mouth with his sleeve

''Here,'' Emmeline handed him a Chocoball. He looked less disgusted after he swallowed it and carried on eating. ''Have they been giving you your meals?''

''Not the ones I wished, but it's something...''

Emmeline sighed and shook her head. He didn't deserve the way he was treated. All of the sudden she took the box in her hands quickly and submerged her whole arm into the box, searching around. Harry frowned at her as he watched her curiously. ''There you are...'' she breathed, pulling a rather old book from the insides of the box. She had cleaned it earlier but there was still some dust on its black hardcover. Emmeline looked up at Harry, ''I want you to have this,'' she started. ''But you have to promise me something before you start reading it or even think of lending it to someone. It will be your book from now on, but you have to be careful to who you might give it to''

''Alright'' Harry said unsurely.

''Harry... This book is very important to me and I only want _you_ to have it or read it. It is crucial you don't speak of it to anyone. Not even Ron or Hermione, alright?''

''It isn't like they talk to me anyway''

''What?'' Emmeline frowned deeply.

''They haven't talked to me over the whole summer. Keep going, though, it doesn't... matter anyway''

Emmeline hesitated for a moment, not knowing if to ask him any more about it. She shrugged it off and carried on, ''You can't let anyone have their hands on this book, Harry''

''Why? Why is it so important to you? What is it?''

''I can't really explain that part to you just now. I probably won't for a long time,'' she lowered her voice, but cleared her throat right away. ''You can start reading it, but you definitely _can't _carry on with your reading if you don't understand a thing. There's a lot of Latin, French, and Ancient Runes' stuff. Once you get to that part, if you're not taking that class by third year, then... I don't know, you can ask me. But you have to do as I'm saying... Understood?''

Harry looked at her puzzled, hesitantly, but nodded nonetheless. ''Yeah, I got it'' he whispered with his eyes lying only on the book. Emmeline moved the book from her grasp and handed it slowly to Harry, watching him carefully as he stared at the cover with a deep frown. ''_Pure __Lineage: Verum pro nullum Ignarum_... What does that mean?'' Harry asked, looking up at Emmeline.

''No truth for the ignorant,'' Emmeline said.

''Why do you have this? Why give it to me? What is it, anyway?''

Emmeline stood up and ran her hands down her skirt, cleaning the bits of food that were there. She put her shoes back on and said, ''I think you and I both know what that is, Harry''. She turned to look at him with a grin. ''It's time for me to leave now''

''What? No!''

''I'm sorry, but I have a lot of things to do'' Emmeline said sadly. Harry stood up quickly and shook his head.

''But you still haven't told me how and why you're still alive''

''That's harsh, coming from you'' She frowned at him.

Harry sighed frustrated and said, ''You know what I mean! You were shot by... that curse, I saw it and you know it is true!''

''I neither confirmed it nor denied it. No need to be so angry at me. Aren't you glad I'm still here?'' She asked him, making Harry look up at her with regretful eyes. Harry started to apologize right away but she interrupted him saying, ''I know, just... have a safe term, don't get into too much trouble-''

''What do you mean?'' Harry asked defensively. Emmeline pressed her lips together forming a thin line and looked away. She had said too much. ''Aren't you going to Hogwarts this term?'' She remained silent, looking for any explanation that would let him understand. Harry looked at her incredulously and asked, ''Y-you can't just leave me there by myself! You have to- you have lessons to attend to, how can Dumbledore-''

''Harry,'' she said softly, trying to calm him down. Harry wanted to scream at her, yell it all out, but somehow he couldn't. He felt betrayed, by everyone that he once thought of his friends. He thought of them being different from the people that usually surrounded him. He thought they wouldn't just forget him. Was it really that easy for them to just ignore his existence and carry on as if nothing was wrong? To forget him that easily? Why hadn't Ron or Hermione talked to him all summer? Why hadn't she? Sure, she had come all the way from where she lived to Privet Drive to spend his birthday with him. But why hadn't she tried to write to him too? Not even Hagrid had tried to reach him. Emmeline could see clearly on Harry's face how lonely he felt. She didn't hesitate to pull him into her arms and hug him tightly. ''I'll be having my homework sent to me. I'm excused for almost half the term,''—Harry pulled away quickly to look up at her incredulously. Emmeline placed her hands on his shoulders and looked firmly at him—''I promise you I'll try and make it to school before it's Christmas, alright?''

Harry hesitated for a long time before nodding and hugging her again. ''What if they ask where you are?''

''You say you don't know''

''Does Professor Dumbledore know?''

''He was the one that gave me permission''

''Where will you go?''

''I'll be around''

Harry looked up to her frowning, ''Tell me one place''

''Romania'' Emmeline grinned.

''Isn't that were Ron's brother works?'' Harry asked.

''Yes, it is. I'm visiting him and then I'll be off to Albania. I might come back depending on what I find''

''What is it that you're looking for?''

Emmeline looked at him for a moment and then grinned. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. ''If I only knew''

''You're travelling to search for something, but you don't know what it is?'' Harry looked up at her as if she were mad, making her laugh and shake her head.

''Sometimes, Harry, we travels to find who we truly are. Sometimes, we travels to confirm to ourselves that we are just who we thought we were''

''You're not making any sense today'' he chuckled.

Emmeline smiled. ''Don't get into too much trouble''


	15. MIA

The chilly September breeze danced by a hill, between the woods, and died around a humble cottage where a red-haired man prepared his dinner. Only if a cheap imitation of his mother's homemade strawberry ice-cream was considered as dinner, of course. The sun was an inch from disappearing behind a mountain not so far from his home. A sudden burst of wind blew, this time, against his house. Even he looked up from his exhausting cooking. Footsteps were heard making their way up the front stairs and into his front porch. It distracted him a bit, thinking about how he had rarely ever seen one of those in any houses back at his old home, but he hadn't thought of it twice when he saw that cottage on sale. It was perfect because of how well its location. Work was close and he had the pleasure of living in that warm and cosy place. A soft knock on the door brought him back to reality.

He walked slowly to the front door, wondering who had been able to find that place. It wasn't that easy to find, really. Especially since the wood outside was the exact same colour as the trees around, which were a lot since it was almost the heart of that forest, which added another difficulty level to finding that place. It couldn't be his parents, since they were probably sending off his siblings back to school. Another soft knock, this time a more urgent one, made him realize how much time he took to get to the door. He also noticed how he was already nose-to-nose with it. His hand grasped the doorknob and he turned it, opening the door slowly. A tall female figure stood before him; long brown hair falling around her shoulders, a loose skirt covering her thighs and knees, a white long sweater against her torso and arms, and a pair of white shoes looking cleaner than the ordinary.

''Hello, Charles,'' her tender voice interrupted him from his strange distractions. It took him another whole second to take in who it was that was visiting him.

''What the hell are you doing here, Em?'' Charlie chuckled.

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, ''Is that really the best greeting you can give me?''

''It was implied,'' he rolled his eyes and hugged her. ''But excuse me for wondering what you're doing here when terms started yesterday''

''Oh, that,'' she sighed and walked inside, looking around. ''Hm...''

''What?''

''You turned this place around. Whoever knows you as much as I do and walked into this place would have no doubt in their right mind that it would be _you_ who lived in here''

He laughed at how right she was. Everything about that place screamed his name. The couched were all made of different Dragon skins, the coffee tables and end tables were all filled with family photographs with smiling Weasleys. The walls all had hanging Dragon portraits that spit harmless fire. The windows had brown and red curtains stopping light from coming in while a hanging chandelier in the middle of the room brought all the light, surprisingly, to the whole house. Charlie watched as she realized it was made of, who would've known? Dragons with light bulbs on their tongues making it look as if they were spitting fire. A lightened fireplace to the right seemed to have caught her attention. There were even more family portraits around it, all except for three, which stood right in the centre. The first to the right was a photograph of Charlie and Bill with their arms hooked around each other's neck while they laughed up to her, bright smiles covering their faces. She seemed to have jumped to the one to her left instead of looking at the one in the middle, afraid of what she might just see. This one was Charlie and Tonks, both of them with a broom. A low laugh escaped Emmeline's lip, even Charlie laughed while he stood next to her, watching each portrait. Tonks had failed at her first attempt of flying a broom and that picture was taken just after it. In the photograph, her hair changed from vivid red, to black, and then back to red while a deep shade of red covered her cheeks and a smile spread on her lips.

The centre portrait had three people laughing at each other, having the time of their lives. They sat underneath the tree near the Lake at Hogwarts. Tonks had her head falling backwards as she held her stomach and laughed hysterically, Charlie, who sat in the middle, was cleaning tears that rolled down his cheeks as he laughed as greatly as the two girls next to him. It was when she saw herself staring at the camera with a bright smile lightening up her face that made Emmeline look away.

''Our last year together at Hogwarts,'' Charlie whispered. He looked at her intently and watched as she slowly looked up to him with troublesome eyes. Charlie frowned slightly and said, ''Don't pretend you forgot my question''

''I just came to visit you. Is that so wrong?'' Emmeline grinned. She glanced down at the fireplace and moved her hand graciously over it, watching as the fire burst out of nowhere and bringing warmth into the small cottage. She looked back up at Charlie and it was her turn to frown.

''What are you really doing here, Em?''

**... ... ... ...**

The clumsy boy ran through the corridors with his books almost falling down from his hands, his robes tempted to get underneath his heel. He was just about to slam himself against the portrait but was fast enough to walk past a couple of students that were walking in. He fell right inside the Common Room and gave a relieved sigh.

''We'll get you next time, Longbottom!'' one of the three Slytherins that followed him shouted as the Fat Lady's portrait closed.

''Neville!''

''Are you alright?''

Hermione and Alicia hurried over to him and helped him up. He couldn't help but blush. ''I'm – I'm fine'' he mumbled.

''You should tell a Prefect, Neville! This is our second night here and they're already taunting you this much-''

''It's alright. They'll only make more fun of me if I do tell,'' he said standing up and cleaning his robes. ''It's nothing, really. I'm already used to it'' Neville said miserably.

''Nev-''

He ignored Hermione and walked over to a desk far from where the others sat, putting his books on the desk and taking parchment and quill out. The girls exchanged worried glances but chose to just let it go for now. Alicia plopped down on the floor next to Angelina and grabbed her Charms book back into her hands. Katie kept looking around with a deep frown on her face and said, ''Alright, you lot'' making everyone near her look up at her. ''Where is she?''

''Where's who?'' Luke Wimborne asked from the other end of the room.

''Emmeline!'' Katie said frustrated.

''Oh,'' he said, shrugging it off and looking back down to his book. Katie glared at him and then looked up to the twins.

''Well?'' she said crossing her arms. Fred and George exchanged looked and then frowned at her.

''Well what?'' they chorused.

''What did you do to her?'' She asked getting irritated by now.

''What makes you think we've anything to do with her not being around?'' asked Fred.

''Oh, I don't know, _Freddie_!'' she mocked. ''The fact that you loathe her to her core sort of gave it away, you know''

''I don't-''

''No, really, Katie, we haven't done anything'' said George.

''You haven't done _anything_?'' Lee asked incredulously.

''Not one prank so far'' Fred said.

''That only means...'' Lee silenced before continuing, but only shared a smirk with the twins. The girls looked at each other. Something big and terrible was definitely coming. Probably something smelly that won't be easy to wash off.

''Maybe Harry knows,'' Angelina shrugged. Katie bit her lower lip and nodded. She walked over to where the trio sat. Hermione had her head already buried into her copy of _Voyages with Vampires_ while Ron and Harry played Wizards Chess. She cleared her throat, making the three of them look up at her. She hesitated but grabbed a chair and sat next to Ron, facing Harry.

''I er- wondered if you knew where Em was,'' she said hopeful. ''She wasn't on the ride here last night, and she wasn't downstairs at the Feast or at our lessons today''

''I don't know,'' he clearly lied. So badly even Hermione and Ron noticed.

Katie sighed and shook her head, ''You obviously do'' she said. ''At least tell me if we should we worry''

Harry hesitated greatly. He looked at Ron and Hermione, then back to Katie. His mind raced his heart, which felt as though was about to burst right out of his chest. He swallowed and shook his head slowly. Katie bit her lower lip and frowned. ''You do know where she is, right?'' she asked him. Harry hesitated once again but gave in and nodded slowly. ''Can you tell me? Is she alright? Is she breaking any rules?''

''I don't...know,'' he said, telling the truth this time. Katie sighed once again.

''Does Professor Dumbledore know?'' Hermione asked this time, taking every word out of Katie's head.

''I guess so-''

''I don't think Professor Dumbledore would've let her go just like that without his permission,'' Ron chuckled.

**... ... ... ...**

''You should've at least sent an owl telling me you were coming,'' Charlie said, placing the now finished ice-cream on the kitchen table.

''It would've given you time to put up your Dragon fence two miles away from here,'' Emmeline said, taking a spoon from the counter. ''I may be a girl, Charles, but I'm wiser than what I look''

''I believe you''

''Good'' she grinned, taking a spoonful of ice-cream to her mouth.

''No, but really. I could've at least prepared a room for you upstairs'' Emmeline remained silent, taking another spoon to her mouth. Charlie stopped moving and looked up to her incredulously. ''But you already took care of that, didn't you?''

''I hope you haven't forgot how fast I am too''

''Jesus, Em!'' He said shocked, slamming the spoon on the counter and shaking his head at her.

''I'm sorry! But you should thank me! If it wasn't for my surprise visit you would've been murdered or something like that''

''Oh, really?''

''Yes! You have no wards, Charlie! Imagine if your mum and dad came by and noticed that. They'd be the ones to kill you, then''

''I have wards set up, thank you,'' he said stubbornly.

''You call that wards? That piece of-''

''Don't insult my wards!''

''If they worked, an owl wouldn't be necessary to let you know I was coming,'' She stated, taking a big piece of ice-cream and slamming it into her mouth. She grinned mockingly at Charlie after he stuck his tongue out at her. They stopped for a second and looked at each other and a second later they were laughing like madmen. Charlie wiped a tear away and tried to catch his breath while Emmeline tried hard not to choke on the ice-cream she had taking in.

''It is only you and Tonks that make me crack up like that with just one look,'' he said smiling widely and shaking his head at her. ''Merlin, I miss those days''

''It's been around a year or so, not a lifetime''

''Feels like it, though''

It took them a long while to go back to eating and talking about Charlie's job. Charlie had gone upstairs to change into his pyjama trousers and shirt while Emmeline had stayed downstairs washing the dishes. He came downstairs about half an hour later and plopped down in front of the fireplace. Emmeline walked inside a couple of minutes later and sat down on the chair next to him. They stared silently at the fire as Emmeline moved her fingers graciously pointing directly to it, making the fire dance, twirl, and turn into different figures. Charlie's expression had turned completely serious once he looked up at her and asked, ''What is it that you're really doing here?''

Emmeline seemed to not have heard. Charlie was about to repeat his question when she looked at him and stopped playing with the fire. ''Something of mine was stolen many years ago. Something that belonged to my family,'' she whispered. 'I need it back and you will help me find it''


	16. Apple Tart

Days had gone by and still no sign of Emmeline around the castle. No one seemed to worry, except for some Hufflepuffs, a couple of curious Ravenclaws, and most Gryffindors. Actually, yes, some did worry. The staff evaded the questions thrown at any lessons for the fourth years, at the Great Hall, or anywhere, really. The only one who seemed to be showing signs of worry was Hagrid, although he always told Ron and Hermione that she was alright. Harry didn't really ask. He knew she was alright and he'd hear of her soon. At least he hoped he did. It wasn't until one morning that he took some parchment and a quill and wrote to her that he realized just how worried he was. He stood in the Owlery and watched his white snowy owl flew away with a roll of parchment tied on her ankle. He sighed and shook his head. Without further hesitation, he made his way to Hagrid's and before he knew it he was already knocking on his door.

Harry didn't give Hagrid the chance of properly opening his front door when he walked inside quickly and turned to look up at Hagrid, who closed the door with a frown on his face. ''Alright there, Harry?''

''Hagrid,'' Harry started. ''Is she alright?''

''Thought yeh knew more than I did-''

''You've talked to her, haven't you?'' Harry asked, interrupting. Hagrid sighed and sat in front of Harry, Fang asleep on his side.

''Doesn' matter how much I try ter write to her, 's more of how much she's talked ter my''

**... ... ... ...**

A book slammed against the wooden floor and a frustrated groan escaped her lips. The front door was opened and she acted without thinking. Whoever had entered was slammed outside of the cottage by a stunning spell and ended up falling on the ground a few meters away from the entrance. She looked up and gasped. Charlie groaned loudly and slammed his fists to the grass surrounding him. He thanks goodness he hadn't been slammed to a tree or else he would be plotting his vengeance already. ''Damn you, Emmeline!'' he shouted at her. She ran to him, rambling on apologies and helping him stand back up. He cleaned himself and sighed. ''You better stop with these reflexes or I'll end up dead''

''It's been a very frustrating morning... I'm really sorry about that''

''Don't worry,'' Charlie said as they started walking back to the house. ''Found anything yet?''

''No, nothing'' Emmeline said, feeling defeated.

''If you just told me what it is, it'd be a whole lot easier''

Emmeline closed the door and started to pick up all the books she had left open all around the floor. Charlie looked around and took off his sweater, throwing it on the red sofa. He sat down and looked up at her. Emmeline placed the last book on its place and stood there for a moment. She could've done it with magic but chose to gain some time to think of what to say to Charlie. She sighed, knowing that she had to tell him at some point. Charlie almost jumped when the fireplace lit again suddenly, ''My family had many things. Far too many. But there were these... _things_ that besides being powerful and strange were most valuable. You and I both know how old and short my family line is so let's skip that part. At some point these were all stolen. But it was just _one _person who did it and we never knew who. If I don't have these objects back... I'm not sure of what this person if capable of''

''And what makes you think I can help you find them?''

''You can't''

''Excuse me, what?''

''You can't help me find them'' Emmeline said simply, turning to face him. ''But you will guide me to the man that will''

**... ... ... ...**

_Warmsley,_

_Things are boring around here. Where are you? Katie's a pain in the arse. I blame you for that. The girls are really worried. Even Lee's starting to ask non-stop about you.  
>Are you planning on coming back at all? See, I wouldn't be surprised if you had left because of this new Professor. Gilderoy bloody Lockhart.<br>Have a heart attack now. You wouldn't be the first. Trust me. Even Alicia's turned into one of his loyal servants. Hermione has too, Ron says.  
>I'm surprised Katie hasn't. Speak of the Devil. She and Georgie have been spending a lot of quality time. Why aren't you here, again?<br>It really feels odd not having you here. Please tell me it's not permanent or else I'll hang myself.  
>You know, because it wouldn't be the same without you here. It isn't the same. <em>

_Are you coming for Halloween, at least? Katie says Harry knows where you are. He looks worried and won't tell anyone. Hermione says Hagrid might know too.  
>But no one says a thing. Why am I even writing this... Anyway. What else has happened? Oh, right. Malfoy called Hermione a <em>_**Mudblood!**__  
>Can you believe him? Ron looked ready to throw an Unforgivable his way. I swear, they'll end up together. George thinks so too. But don't you jinx it!<br>Ron tried to hex him but ended up hexing himself. Crap, I forgot to tell you! But don't die on this. I know you'll murder Ron and Harry once you come back.  
>They came to school on Dad's flying car and crushed it against the Whomping Willow! His wand broke there. <em>

_Those two are following George and I's steps already. We're proud.  
><em>

_They miss you. Nothing's the same. Even Neville looks all sad. Come back, alright?_

_Without love,  
>Weasley<em>

''What's that, Freddie?'' George's voice came from behind Fred. He stood up and rolled the parchment shut.

''A letter,'' Fred said simply, making his way out of the Common Room with George on his heel.

''I think I could've figured that one out myself,'' George chuckled. ''But really, to whom is it?''

Fred didn't reply until they reached the owlery. He tied the parchment to one of the owls there and didn't even turn to watch it fly away. He looked a George and sighed. ''Warmsley...'' he said miserably.

''You're joking!''

''Does it look like I am?''

George looked at him incredulously and chuckled to himself, ''I knew it'' he said.

''Knew what?'' Fred frowned.

''You can't lie to me, you know''

''What are you talking about?''

''You pretend you don't care about her but you do!''

Fred scoffed and shook his head, ''You're wrong''

''Really?'' George raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. ''Are you really going to try and lie to your brother right on his face?''

''I'm not lying''

''You are!''

''I don't care about her!''

''Damn it, Fred, you do! You like her more than you actually think you do''

''I _know_ I don't like her''

''Oh, really?''

''Really''

''Then why'd you write her a letter for?'' George challenged. Fred stuttered but closed his mouth shut. George smirked in victory. ''Checkmate''

**... ... ... ...**

''How are you so sure I can tell you who to go to?'' Charlie asked Emmeline, who now prepared dinner. She turned to face him and left the ingredients to pour themselves into the bowl.

''I... had a dream'' she admitted. She blushed furiously when Charlie started laughing. ''Shut up'' she said crossing her arms and trying to be mad at him.

''So, let's see if I got this right,'' Charlie started. ''You choose to skip school for a great deal of time, probably worry everyone back there, make them send you thousands of letters which you haven't replied to, come here to make me gain some weight by making the best desserts for dinner every night, turn my place around searching for a name, and interrogate me just because you had a _dream_?''

Emmeline looked up to the ceiling for a moment and pouted, nodding. ''Pretty much, yeah'' she said.

''You're mad''

''That's what my last name stands for, Charles,'' she smiled and turned to wave her hand effortlessly and watched as a few apples zoomed from one side to the other and landed on the counter. A sharp knife flew from a cabinet to the apple and started to peel and cut them in half through the stem.

''Are you a Seer or something?''

''Of course not. I'm not that perfect'' she winked at him and waved a finger pointing directly to the stove. ''Preheating..'' she mumbled to herself.

''How modest''

''They call me that''

''No, but really. What kind of dream was this? Must've been important to drag you all the way here''

''Don't say that! I come here every chance I get''

Charlie looked at her seriously and said, ''You know what I mean, Emmeline''

She sighed and rolled her eyes. ''Alright, but you better start loving my food and showing it. It's not like you hate it when I'm around''

''You're the second best cook I know''

''Your mother must be the first''

''She is''

She sighed in a dreamy fashion, ''Ah, those pies. I wish she were here-''

''Get to the point already!''

She raised her hands defensively and said, ''Alright alright! Merlin, you have no patience''

''To be around you? I need lots of it and I've already spent too much time with you, it's reaching an end. I was worrying it hadn't started to wear off earlier. Now stop avoiding having this conversation''

Emmeline sighed and sat down on the stool next to Charlie she waved her hand quickly and the salt flew to her hand. She opened it and let it all fall on the counter in front of them. Charlie didn't protest or ask, but watched as she started to draw something. ''It was very strange... We stood in the woods and your house was visible from where we were. There was a man that held a bag in his hands and talked to you while I simply stood there, being ignored. It was when this man took whatever he had in the bag that I stopped being able to see either of you. All that was left was the bag and a dark cloaked figure in front of me. The bag had the old family crest printed on it. And somehow I just knew that it was of my property and you knew this man, who most likely has what I need''

''And the person in front of you?''

''I don't know. I never pay attention in Divination. Probably means a threat or sunshine-''

''How did that man look?''

''I'm not sure''

''Did he say anything?''

''I was only able to listen to three key words'' Emmeline whispered, staring down at what she had drawn on the counter. Charlie followed her gaze and frowned+.

''Crown, Sword... house?'' Charlie mumbled with a frown.

''Village, Charlie'' She said rolling her eyes.

''You don't have the best drawing skills'' He joked. She drew two parallel lines and looked up at him.

''And it all equals to... who?''

Charlie remained silent, his thoughts racing, searching for someone that would match those three words. He wondered what they meant. The smell of the tart started to fill the room just when he blinked and looked at her. ''I know where you have to go and who to look for''

''Who? Where?'' Emmeline said smiling excitedly.

''His name is Afrim. He lives in Albania''


	17. Expect the Unexpected

Harry walked down the corridor on Halloween, going back up to the Common Room in search of his right socks. Ron and Hermione were going to meet him downstairs to go to the Deathday Party Nearly Headless Nick had invited them to. He sighed and mumbled, ''Wattlebird'' and the Fat Lady swung her portrait, allowing him entrance. He walked up to the Boys' Dorm and closed the door on his way in. Since everyone was down at the Feast, the silence in the room felt heavy around him. Harry walked to his trunk but stopped when he looked up, noticing his bed's hangings closed. He frowned deeply and stood up, taking out his wand from his cloak and rounding his bed. He swallowed slowly and drew the hanging as fast as he could. His heart jumped to his throat and back. Sitting cross-legged, with a deep red jumper, jeans, and Harry's socks was Emmeline, with a frown.

''Are you that mad at me?'' she raised her eyebrow, eyeing his wand. Harry snapped out of his trance and jumped on the bed to hug her tightly. Emmeline laughed happily and held him, feeling heavy droplets wetting her jumper. She couldn't help but laugh and sigh, relieved. ''I missed you too, kid'' she said. Harry pulled back and sat cross-legged too, next to her.

''Why didn't you answer my letters? Hedwig always came back with a full stomach but nothing else''

''If I didn't feed your owl she would've pooped Charlie's living room''

Harry chuckled and asked, ''Then why not answer? I wrote you everyday''

''I know, I know... It sucked. But I wanted to avoid any trouble. People are very curious and I didn't want to involve you in this''

''But not even Hagrid? I think he wrote to you twice as much as I did''

''And that was a lot'' Emmeline sighed. She looked down at Harry and grinned. She cleaned a little trace of tears on his cheek. Harry chuckled.

''Sorry about that...''

''No, it's alright if you cry,'' she admitted. ''It's human''

''George was asking where you were today. So did Lee''

Emmeline frowned, ''Did they, really?''

''They just said that you usually are very sad on this day,'' Harry shrugged. He thought for a moment and looked up at her with a frown. ''Are you?'' Emmeline nodded miserably. She grinned weakly at Harry and he simply took her hand. Just at that moment he truly realized how much he had missed her. And so had she. Harry looked down and frowned. ''What's that?'' he asked, pointing to a necklace that hung from her neck. Emmeline looked down at it and tried to put it back inside her jumper. Harry stopped her and instead took it in his hands, looking at it curiously.

''It was gift,'' she answer that question that lingered in his head. Harry looked up at her surprised but then looked back down at it. It was like something he hadn't seen before. The drop pendant had a Blue diamond inside, surrounded by sterling silver. ''It's actually a Blue Topaz'' she had corrected him out loud. Harry let go of the necklace and looked up at her puzzled. Had he said that out loud?

''How did you-''

''You're not that hard to read, Harry'' she smiled down at him. He blushed lightly and she laughed at this, pulling him back to a hug. Harry felt her cheek against the top of his head and he closed his eyes, listening to her breathing. ''Have you read the book?'' She asked him. Harry pulled away quickly. He hadn't even touched that book ever since she gave it to him. He looked up at her apologetically.

''I'm-''

''No pressure'' Emmeline reassured him. She frowned and said, ''Although you do have to go to that party I hear you're attending with Ron and Hermione''

''How did you know?'' Harry asked her, standing up from his bed and searching for his socks.

''There are few things I _don't_ know. But when it comes to you... I always know'' Emmeline said, taking off her socks and handing them to Harry. ''I kept them warm for you. Don't worry, my feet don't smell'' She chuckled, seeing the frown on Harry's face. She stood up and put on her shoes. Just as Harry put on his and his socks, he looked up to find her closing the door on her way out. Desperately, he walked outside and almost flew down the stairs.

''Wait!'' he called after her, just before she walked out of the Common Room. It was deserted. Emmeline turned to look at him and frowned. ''When are you coming back?'' Harry panted. Emmeline grinned softly. She walked closer to him and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

''So fast you won't have time to miss me''

**... ... ... ...**

**December**

Her heart wanted to slap her own self for promising things and breaking them afterwards. The rough blizzard that had hit that place last night was still palpable all around. The trees and its branches were filled with snow, there was no ground but only five feet of snow, and more to come. Her brown knee-high boots were filled with snow and her surroundings made her transparent skin be almost unnoticeable except for her clothing. She reached the village and knocked on the wooden doors. It took another knock for her to realize no one was going to come outside and open her. She waved her hand effortlessly and the doors swung open, even with the heavy snow covering it. She looked around and was in awe with the beauty of the place. The low tree branches were white in the top and dark brown underneath. The sky mathed the place's grounds. There were several little houses with their dark red roofs filled with white snow. But the one she searched for was not anywhere close to the entrance of that wonderful place. She knew that.

Her footsteps were hard not to notice as she made her way deep into the village, looking from side-to-side, looking for that one house. There were several dead ends and a couple of snow filled playgrounds. But it was not until she reached the far end of the village were a small humble house stood away from the others, that she let a little relieved sigh escape her lips. She walked towards it and raised her arm, knocking softly on the front door. A tiny blue eye peeked over the curtains from the window next to where she had knocked. Several locks, she heard, began unlocking from the other side. Luckily this house had less snow on the front than the others, or else the little boy that had opened the door would've drowned on snow. He looked up at her with his big blue eyes and stepped aside, welcoming her. He closed the door, still without saying a word, and pointed to the sofa next to the window he had peeked on earlier.

She moved to sit there, but he stopped her and pointed at her boots. They were filled with snow and she would make a lot of mess if she kept them on. She looked up as though someone stood behind him, and the boy turned. Before he turned back around, she waved her hand lazily over her boots and watched as they cleaned quickly, leaving them stainless. She grinned and looked back up. The boy turned around and frowned confused when he looked back at her boots. He raised an eyebrow at her but seemed to shrug it off, offering her to sit on the sofa once again. This time without complaint. The little boy sat down in front of her on a chair. He took off his brown hat and watched her with his big eyes as she stared right back at him with a warm grin.

A short black-haired little girl came jogging from what seemed to be the kitchen and stopped dead on her tracks when she saw those two sitting down in the tiny living room. The boy nodded at her and the little girl nodded back, jogging her way back into the kitchen. It wasn't long before a short dark brown-haired woman walked inside with a floral apron and a black jumper underneath, her light blue eyes eyeing them curiously. ''English?'' the visitor asked gently. The woman hesitated but nodded slowly.

''Yes...'' she whispered. ''Who are you?''

''My name is Emmeline''

The woman grinned and said, ''He said you'd come. We've been waiting for you''

She nodded and carried on. ''I'm here to ask you some questions about your husband, Afrim''

Pain flashed through the woman's eyes. The little kids didn't even flinch. Instead, the little girl sat down next to Emmeline and looked up at her curiously while the little boy did the same.

''Did you know my daddy?'' The little girl asked with a bit of an accent that made Emmeline's heart melt.

''Bora!'' the woman said in a warning tone.

''No, it's alright,'' Emmeline said with a grin. She turned to look at the little girl and asked her, ''Will you introduce your family to me, Bora?''

Bora stood nodded happily and ran back inside. She came back in with another boy that looked around ten years old. ''Lule,''—she pointed to her mother—''Behar,''—she pointed to the blue-eyed boy next to Emmeline—''Aleksander,''—she pointed to the boy she had just dragged from inside—''Bora,''—she placed a hand on herself—''and Afrim, baba'' This time she pointed to her heart. Emmeline stayed silent and watched in awe, her throat twisting into a tight knot and her eyes threatening on letting some tears go. Lule cleared her throat and sat down on the sofa opposite to the one Emmeline sat in. Bora sat down next to her mother and Aleksander took a seat on the chair next to Behar. Emmeline contemplated them in silent, realizing that her trip had been in vain.

''Forgive me, but I must ask... what happened?'' She whispered, watching the pain that was still fresh in Lule's eyes and how she struggled to speak. She thought of taking it back but stopped when the woman raised her hand to stop Emmeline from speaking.

''It was a long time ago. Afrim went to search for wood near the hill outside of the doors and never came back. There was a strange rain that night, with thunder. Green thunder. My other son, Fatmir, went to search for him and came back with his body. The village doctor said there was no blood, no struggle, no nothing. We still don't know what happened to him. All I know is that the green thunder took my husband...'' Lule's voice broke. She turned to her kids and said something in Albanian. The three kids nodded and walked to what she guessed was their rooms. Lule sighed and turned to Emmeline. ''They are not my real children. I treat them like they are, but they are Fatmir's. He and his wife had many kids but could not raise them all. He gave me my three angels to take care of me, told me to raise them as my own and Afrim's. They suffer a father's death that's not theirs, but Fatmir refuses to let them know he's their father. Only their big brother. Some day they will know. ''

''You only had one son?'' Emmeline finally spoke.

''Unfortunately, yes. But I love my Fatmir. I lost a girl the night before Afrim died. It made the doctor consider suicide but, as I told you, it was as if he had just literally dropped dead''

''A green thunder, you say?''

''Yes. It's hard not to forget such thing. It was more like lightning''

''No doubt about that...'' Emmeline whispered, frowning deeply. ''I hear from a close friend that your husband used to collect rare items, am I correct?''

''Yes. He also had a collection of swords that his father had left him. They were old''

''There goes the sword'' Emmeline mumbled to herself.

''Excuse me?'' Lule frowned.

''Did he collect crowns too?''

''Crowns? No, he didn't''

''Are you absolutely sure?'' Emmeline asked frustrated. The woman nodded.

''I am. If not I would take you to them'' smiled Lule. ''What else would you like to know?''

Emmeline stayed silent, trying to think of a way to let her know what it was that she wanted. The woman didn't know her family crest or what it was that her husband had to do with it. Truth was, neither did she. She looked up at Lule and shook her head slowly. ''If there's anything I need to know, I'll come by. Expect my visit during the summer, Lule'' Emmeline grinned softly at her as she stood up. Lule stood up, looking up at her surprised, yet glad.

''That would make them very happy. The kids of the village don't like my children. They would love some company. Thank you'' Lule said, taking Emmeline's hand into both of hers.

''I wish you well''

**... ... ... ...**

Fred stood next to George among everyone in the Great Hall. He had hoped she had been back by now, but there was anything but signs of her. He had tried to look for excuses just to talk about her. Lame ones, actually. Things that Alicia or Hermione would ask like 'Does the headmaster know she's out?', 'What about her homework?'. 'She'll miss half the term if she isn't back', 'Where is she?', orr things that Neville or Harry would ask like 'Is she alright?', 'How come is she not back yet?', 'Have you heard anything of her?', even things that Katie or Angelina would ask like 'Who is she staying with?', 'Will she actually come back?'. and even 'I'm worried, aren't you?'

Lee had been the first to start worrying about Fred's sudden burst of care for Emmeline. But only George understood how it hadn't been so sudden.

Ever since that day in the owlery Fred talked to George until he fell asleep. Not like they hadn't done that before, or every day. But he always either started or ended the conversation talking about her. Except when she was the entire conversation.

Fred had even talked to Harry about her when he was at the hospital wing after that rough Quidditch game. He had a hard time ignoring Harry's boneless arm, but managed into talking to him about how she would probably freak out and never leave the hospital wing if she had been there. Harry had, of course, been curious about why Fred had done it. Especially since he had only been talking about her. It was almost something he couldn't avoid. Mentioning her name accidentally when calling one of the girls, absent-mindedly asking about her when the boys were alone, start having those girl conversations with George where he only talked about Katie while Fred only talked about Emmeline and still they would understand what the other said...

It was madness, he knew it. He had even taken the time to write to her again, asking where she was, what she was doing, how much everyone missed her, or asking about three times why she hadn't replied or how strange it was that she wasn't around. Usually dropping here and there hints that he did miss her with stupid lines like 'I need someone to throw all these goblin piss we've taken'' or ''You should've seen the look on Filch's face when Mrs. Norris started leaving her chocoballs all around'' and he even dared say ''My foot is aching from not kicking your arse at pranking''. George had read that one and still couldn't control his laughter every time he remembered it. Fred still was in denial, of course. He constantly reminded George how he didn't care for her at all. But George would just roll his eyes and keep rambling on and on about Katie and how she looked like sunshine.

Fred never let go of that one either.

The twins were behaving more and more like girls. It started to worry Lee, who overheard the two of them one night and after that he was dragged into the conversations. He himself starting to ramble on and on about Angelina's chocolate hair and how he wanted to dig his teeth into it and eat it all. That was one that the twins swore never to let go of.

It was on the second week of December, a night where a blizzard began, that everyone stood in the Great Hall, watching how the two 'volunteers', Draco and Harry, practice during the Dueling Club. ''_I said disarm only!_'' Professor Lockhart's voice took Fred from his Emmeline-trance. He nudged George and Lee with his elbows, taking them off theirs. The three of them looked up and started laughing as they watched Malfoy sunk to his knees. Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move from all the laughing. Fred went back to his own trance but was awoken once again, this time by George's elbow nudge on his ribs.

''Oi!''

''If I let you miss this, Freddie, you would never forgive me'' George chuckled. Fred shook his head and looked back up.

Professor Lockhart counted to three and Malfoy raised his wand quickly and yelled, ''_Serpensortia!_''. Everyone gasped and moved backwards as a black snake burst from Draco's wand and landed heavily onto the floor. It hissed violently, raising itself, all ready to strike.

''You're right. I wouldn't have'' Fred mumbled. There were several screams and panic began to spread around the Hall. Katie hid behind George and Fred would've laughed at George's blushing if they hadn't been in such kind of situation.

''Don't move, Potter,'' Snape said. ''I'll get rid of it...'' He was clearly enjoying himself far too much.

''Allow me!''

''Oh no,'' Katie groaned at Professor Lockhart's attempt. The snake did not vanish; instead it flew ten feet in the air and fell back onto the floor with a loud smack. It was full of rage. Angrier than before. Fred watched it fearfully along with the rest. The snake, besides being entirely black, had black eyes with red slits as pupils. Before he knew it, a similar hiss as the snake's came not so far from where it slithered. Fred looked up incredulously to see Harry speaking to it, ordering it to attack. But somehow it didn't feel as though he was doing such thing. The snake, turning from Justin Finch-Fletchey to Harry, rose itself even higher. It looked around from Justin, to Neville, who stood next to him, and back at Harry, not sure of who to attack first. But before it had a chance, the doors of the Great Hall, which had been closed and unnoticed until now, were slammed open and someone walked inside.

Harry's hiss had seemed angelically compared to the one that filled the Great Hall. It was a venomous, dangerous, and scary hiss that made George flinch next to Fred and almost everyone around started trembling in fear. Fred looked at the black snake, which started to lower itself fearfully, as if being hurt by the sound that was heard by everyone around there. The hiss grew louder and the snake seemed to get smaller. Yet, instead of walking away from the hiss, the snake seemed to crawl closer. The snake let out a painful hiss. It vanished out of thin air, leaving nothing but a sense of fear among the students and the two Professors that stood in the middle. Fred let out a shaky breath and looked up. He felt his heart bounce all the way down and jump back up as he recognized who had made such noise.

''Ms. Warmsley... about time'' Professor Snape snapped.


	18. Run, ginger, run!

The school had never been so full of teenagers gossiping as it was after the Duelling Club's disaster. There were all sorts of things people wondered and conclusions about who the Heir of Slytherin could be. The ones from that certain House just couldn't believe the Heir could be a Gryffindor. The rest of the school debated in secret and out loud; who was the Heir? A girl or a boy? Harry or Emmeline? On one thing they were absolutely certain, though; It was going to be a long time until everyone stopped talking about it.

To her most utter luck, she was pulled into a meeting with the staff that made everyone question her every move. She had finally been 'released' by Lunch the next day and chose to skip Double Potions due to the fact that Professor Snape would, without a doubt, have a feast taking points off her house for being late. Instead, she had gone to Hagrid's. To her surprise, he had his door open and Fang was running around. She gaped at the dog in shock. ''Well, look at you, big boy. It's probably the first time you're this energetic!'' Emmeline exclaimed as she pet the boarhound.

''Look wha' the wind blew me way'' Hagrid said, coming outside his hut with his arms spread wide.

''Hello, Hagrid'' Emmeline smiled and ran over to him, hugging him tightly. ''I've missed you''

''Where have yeh bin, kid? Wasn' the same without yeh here,'' Hagrid said closing the door right after Fang ran inside. He motioned to a plate on the table and said, ''Stoat sandwiches? Yeh're lookin' thinner than yeh did before''

''No, I'm full. Just had some lunch,'' Emmeline sighed, patting Fangs head. She laughed slightly when Fang let a heavy drop of drool fall on her shoes. ''Hasn't changed''

''Don' think he ever will''

''Some things never really do change...'' She mused. Emmeline hesitated but took one of Hagrid's sandwiches. She smiled at him and said, ''Now tell me, Hagrid, what have I really missed?''

**... ... ... ...**

There had been another attack that same night, and the next few days couldn't have been _better_ for Emmeline or Harry. Even though she was already back, she rarely ever had any time to spend with any of her friends. When she did have free time, without thinking it twice she spent it with Harry or Hagrid. Katie had 'kidnapped' her for a whole afternoon along with Angelina the night before the end of Term. Alicia had asked her to keep her some company at the library on Christmas' Eve, but that was just about it. The twins and Lee, on the other hand, only saw her walking down the corridors in a hurry. George would nudge Fred's ribs and shared a look with Lee when Fred stared after her, his lips parted and his breathing quickening.  
>The castle was almost completely deserted, but the ones that were left behind couldn't ask for something better. Especially Harry, who seemed to have lightened up finally after the hell he was put through with everyone talking behind his back.<br>Being a Parselmouth wasn't a common thing. And he learned it the hard way.

Christmas welcomed them with a cold and white morning. Emmeline had woken up to a find a mountain full of presents on the bed in front of her. Alicia, who was buried underneath all of them, was still fast asleep and still breathing as well as the mountain on her. Emmeline looked to the empty bed next to her, which belonged to Katie, and smiled brightly to find her presents there. Harry had given her the pair of socks he had been searching for the night she visited. Alicia and Hermione, as usual, gave her lots of books. Emmeline had had a little conversation with Katie about Christmas presents; Katie had always wanted a sterling silver bracelet and Emmeline didn't want Katie to spend too much on her present, but to give her something memorable. And so they did so. Emmeline had sent her the same bracelet Katie had asked and received a photo album with only the first two pages with pictures they had taken so far, which weren't much except for one she had with Harry and another that had been taken with all seven of them. It was only when Emmeline took a closer look to that one that she noticed, with a bark of laughter, how George and Katie had been staring at each other timidly and hadn't even noticed the picture was already taken. Mrs. Weasley had sent the annual grey jumper with a red 'E' right up front. She was surprised when she saw two certain initials on a red box and hesitated in opening it. A smile crept on her lips when she released the ribbon and the box exploded. A sweets' rain began and the mountain of boxes on Alicia's bed flew out the moment she jumped by the sudden burst of noise. There was a small box that had another photo album, but that one was more of a Dragon album with every type, colour, and size of Dragons there is. Charlie had been responsible for that one. Bill and Ron had, instead, been thoughtful enough to write her letters. It wasn't much, but she had a good laugh.

''What's that?'' Alicia had asked after coming out of the bathroom. Emmeline looked to where she pointed and frowned. A crimson box was hidden underneath her bed with a blue bow tied around neatly.

''I have no idea'' She mumbled, picking it up and looking at the card. Her frown disappeared and was replaced by big smile. Alicia raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer; Emmeline looked up and said, ''Oh, right... It's Min- um, Professor McGonagall's''

''She sends you Christmas presents?'' Alicia asked, surprised.

Instead of replying, she played deaf and walked off to take a long shower.

Alicia had been off to the library with some Ravenclaw friend of hers, or so had she told Emmeline. Downstairs at the Common Room, the ones left behind, which were only the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione, were playing Exploding Snap loudly without any complaints. Everyone had their Weasley jumper on. Emmeline almost jumped half the stairs when she went down and plopped on the sofa next to George. Ginny and Fred sat on the floor on George's side, Harry on a chair next to Emmeline and Hermione while Ron sat next to him on the floor sitting cross-legged. Hermione wasn't really playing. Her eyes were pretty occupied with a book.

''What's that you got there?'' Emmeline asked her, leaning forward, trying to see the page she was in. Hermione slammed the book shut with her thumb marking right where she had left it without looking up.

''It's... Alicia's present to me'' Hermione forced a smile. Although Emmeline didn't believe a word, she nodded and shrugged it off. The rest of the day went by smoothly. That night Ron, Harry, and Hermione were nowhere to be seen, so Emmeline was 'stuck' with the twins. Fred and George played around in the Common Room, shouting ideas for their 'future joke shop'.

''You both know your mother would never let you do such thing,'' She'd shout as they talked loudly about Love Potions for Valentine's Days. ''A Joke Shop? She would rather drop dead''

''George? You know what we should have for Halloween?'' Fred said not even glancing at Emmeline.

''What?''

''Warmsley's face on our products''

Emmeline glared at him and said, ''That's not funny, Weasley''

''No, Warmsley, it's scary, and that's the point''

Fred laughed and she would only glare more at him, making him fall backwards. He sat up and glared at her after glancing down at the chair he had been sitting on. ''Are you really that immature?'' He said.

''Just as much as you are'' she teased him slightly. All she hadn't noticed was how he stared adoringly at her back as she made her way back up to the Girl's Dorm. Either way, everyone else did.

The next day, after dinner, they all sat together just like the morning before. It still hadn't been close to end, the rivalry between them. Emmeline watched the entertaining Exploding Snap game. All sarcastic, of course. Most of the time off anyone ever had around there would be spent playing any wizard game there was. Emmeline, on the other hand, did not enjoy them as much. She sighed blowing up a strand of her hair and watching it fall back against her face. She heard Harry chuckled and flashed a smile right at him. She glanced over to the twins and saw how into the game they were and bit her lip. Emmeline casted a wandless and silent _Aguamenti_ without moving a finger. She couldn't stop laughing while watching Fred and George let out a loud yell while cold water fell right on them. Hermione gasped and Ron and Harry joined Emmeline.

''WARMSLEY!''

''Oh, calm down, Weasley. It's not my fault you still wet your trousers''

Emmeline stood up and started walking backwards as Fred walked forward with angry eyes. ''I'll murder you'' He said.

''I'd love to see you try,'' She responded with a soft smirk and off they were. Emmeline almost fell as she ran out of the Common Room. She started laughing once they started running down the stairs. Fred had his hands turned into fists and took his wand out of his robes and started firing hexes right at her back. It was out of pure luck that Emmeline dodged them. She took her wand out unnecessarily and started firing back at him. As they practically flew through corridors, portraits started gasping and complaining, shouting at their backs as they disappeared into what the castle's corridors had in for them. Fred accidently made two portraits fall almost right on top of Emmeline but instead fell right to the ground. The ones in the portrait screamed and ran to their neighbours. They were almost reaching the dungeons. Peeves popped up out of the blue and started chasing them. He started laughing and chanting:

_Weasley, Weasley, go ahead and do it  
>Hex Warmsley's arse, don't you ruin this<em>

Emmeline turned once and fired up a spell right at him, but Peeves was quick enough to dodge it. ''HOW DARE YOU!'' He screamed at her. She contained her laughter, turning on another corridor and leaving Peeves and Fred behind. Fred told Peeves to leave and so he did. He ran just where she had gone to but stopped dead on his tracks when, at the end of the corridor where the other started, against the stone wall he could clearly see a rising shadow and a person's silhouette. Fred walked forward and saw Emmeline standing right before what seemed to be a gigantic basilisk that was coming right their way.

''Warms-''

''Run and don't look back,'' She whispered, slamming her hand over Fred's eyes, moving themselves to the other corridor and against a wall, where they could clearly watch the basilisk moving forward, each time closer to where they stood.

''But-''

''Fred, go!'' She shouted this time and Fred didn't hesitate. He darted forward and started running for his life, not having a clue what was really going on. It was when he was mid-corridor and he heard the same scary hiss he had heard from Emmeline at the Dueling Club that he turned and was just in time to see her look at the creature directly into its eyes. The hiss died away and a little thud was heard throughout the corridor, making Fred's heart sink deep into his chest.

He ran away as fast as his legs allowed him to, not allowing himself to look back.

* * *

><p><strong>Poor update :(<strong>

**Sorry it's taken me so long. I've got caught up with so many things, you'd be bored in a blink if I started to tell you. Anyway, I've been struck with inspiration and wrote about two chapters that will not be published for a reaaaally long time from now. Let's just say it's around OoTP time. Yeah, you can take the hint.  
><strong>

**Anywhale, I'm off to writing some more, expect more updates. This story has just begun. And don't forget about feedback, it's nice knowing your thoughts about the story :) xx**


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